NZ Truck & Driver November 2022

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The Official Magazine of

Issue 262

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ISSN 2703-6278

TOGETHER STRONGER.

Our uniquely Kiwi story is about family – and you are at the heart of it.

For 50 years Kiwis and FUSO of Japan have worked together to test, refine and deliver world-class trucks that perform exceptionally in New Zealand and throughout the world.

Together we have worked to maximise productivity, and lead the cause of uncompromised safety and wellbeing for our people, environment and communities.

On FUSO’s anniversary of 50 years in New Zealand we thank those generations who, to this very day, keep industry moving through our spirit of collaboration, innovation and sheer hardwork, always striving to be the best we can be.

Our uniquely Kiwi story is about family and you are at the heart of it.

MITSUBISHI FUSO Authorised Distributor Fuso New Zealand Ltd www.fuso.co.nz

Piha, New Zealand, 2022

CONSTRUCTION CREW. FUSO delivers powerful tipper solutions across light, medium and heavy-duty applications.

From the pure muscle of SHOGUN, featuring Japan’s most powerful truck ever, to FIGHTER, the middle-weight champion, and CANTER, New Zealand’s favourite light tipper truck, we have a solution for you.

Our trucks are built for New Zealand with industry-leading attributes across light, medium and heavy-duty applications. Maximise your payloads reassured that FUSO’s class-leading Japanese dependability, Daimler inspired performance, and impeccable safety will deliver for you day after day, payload after payload.

Talk to your local FUSO dealer today for tipper solutions that will deliver for you. fuso.co.nz/tipper-solutions

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MITSUBISHI FUSO Authorised Distributor Fuso New Zealand Ltd www.fuso.co.nz

Photo: Western Hills Quarry, Horahora, Whangarei

MORE VALUE. EVERY DRIVE.

CLEANER ENGINES SMARTER TRANSMISSIONS ADVANCED SAFETY

COMMING SOON

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Star Trucks lnternational 03 544 9580 Nelson Star Trucks lnternational 03 544 9580 Nelson

CONTENTS Issue 262 – November 2022 4

24

41

44

News

The latest from the world of road transport including...All the news from The Road Ahead conference and industry awards in Invercargill; New autonomous and hydrogen fuel cell trial projects; Another success for DAF in the International Truck of the Year award; An alternative to rubber for mine haul truck tyres and the latest industry appointments.

FEATURES: 56 Southpac Trucks Legends

Special K: Kenworth trucks have played such an important role in the 50-year plus driving career of Peter Richmond that he earned the nickname `Special K’.

60

Giti Tyres Big Test

Shogun Serendipity: A 460hp FUSO Shogun added to the Transcon Fleet is a lot more than another new truck for the Warkworth-based carrier. It’s delivered a new career and marriage plans for driver Catherine Wilson.

73

Transporting New Zealand

This month’s update from Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand CEO Nick Leggett looks at some of the key issues from The Road Ahead national conference in Invercargill.

78

Teletrac Navman Fleet Focus

On The Way: NZ Truck & Driver visits with DB Schenker in Frankfurt to learn about plans to achieve carbon neutrality across all its freight operations in less than 20 years from now.

MANAGEMENT

81

The New Generation

Diesel engines were in a clear minority when Europe’s truck makers gathered in Hanover for the 2022 IAA Transportation expo. With four years of development and strategic thinking since the last Hanover expo, the spotlight fell on next-generation battery electric trucks and fuel cell electric technology.

87

REGULARS: 80/ Double Coin Tyres NZ Transport 81 Imaging Awards

Recognising NZ’s best-looking trucks… including a giant pull-out poster of this month’s finalist.

101 CrediFlex Recently Registered

October’s NZTA registration data reveals the heavy commercial segment of the new vehicle market is continuing to perform strongly. Plus, this month’s photo gallery of new trucks on the road.

Class of 2022

We profile the six new inductees into the Mobil 1 Delvac New Zealand Road Transport Hall of Fame.

Alexandra Blossoms

COLUMNS 95 It’s Political

NZ’s major political parties are given the opportunity to offer their opinions on issues affecting the road transport industry. This month National and ACT offer their views.

The springtime truck show winners at the Alexandra Blossom Festival.

Red Roars Off

Kiwi truck racing original Bill “Red” Egan passed away recently. Wayne Munro recalls Red’s on-track antics that made him a crowd favourite and also looks at his prominent role in the Auckland towing industry.

Deadliest Catch

Restored and working, Northwestern is the last Kenworth K104 2.9m “Fat Cab” ever built and it holds a special place in the fleet of Graham and Michelle Redington.

99

National Road Carriers Association

NRC CEO Justin Tighe-Umbers looks at the challenges that higher inflation rates will present to Kiwi transport operators.

ADMINISTRATION MANAGER

Publisher

Trevor Woolston 027 492 5600 trevor@trucker.co.nz

Sue Woolston

Advertising

Trevor Woolston 027 492 5600 trevor@trucker.co.nz

Sue Woolston Phone

Hayden Woolston 027 448 8768 hayden@trucker.co.nz

accounts@trucker.co.nz

SUBSCRIPTIONS accounts@trucker.co.nz 021 411 950

NZ subscription $95 incl. GST for one year price (11 issues) Overseas rates on applicationw ADDRESS

EDITORIAL Editor

Colin Smith 021 510319 colin@trucker.co.nz

Associate Editor

Brian Cowan

CONTRIBUTORS

Wayne Munro Dave McLeod Olivia Beauchamp Gerald Shacklock David Kinch

ART DEPARTMENT Design & Production Luca Bempensante Zarko Mihic EQUIPMENT GUIDE AUCKLAND, NORTHLAND, BOP, WAIKATO, CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND Advertising Trudy Woolston 027 233 0090 trudy@trucker.co.nz

AUCKLAND, LOWER NORTH ISLAND, SOUTH ISLAND Advertising Hayden Woolston 027 448 8768 hayden@trucker.co.nz

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Copyright: Articles in New Zealand Truck & Driver are copyright and may not be reproduced in any form – in whole or part – without permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by, the publisher.

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www.nztruckanddriver.co.nz Truck & Driver | 3

NEWS

Transporting NZ chairman Warwick Wilshier says there is still a need for a single voice to represent the industry.

Conference looks to the future INSIGHTS INTO THE FUTURE OF ROAD TRANSPORT and a renewed call for a single voice to represent the industry were among the themes of The Road Ahead: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand conference in Invercargill at the end of September.

More than 250 delegates gained valuable insights across a broad range of transport industry-related topics.

Over two days at the Ascot Park venue, presentations ranged from roading issues, new powertrains, driver health and well-being, training and recruitment, staff engagement, employment legislation and other topics in a future-focused conference that looked at the challenges and opportunities for the industry.

A year on from the split which saw the National Road Carriers Association and NZ Trucking Association exit the Road Transport Forum (now Transporting New Zealand) there remains a strong desire to have a single voice represent the industry.

In his opening address to the conference, Transporting NZ chairman Warwick Wilshier said it had been a year of change for the organisation.

“In September last year, OCANZ (Owner Carriers Association of New Zealand), decided that it no longer wanted to continue as a member of the RTF due to the Road Transport Association (RTANZ) request that we form one management structure for the industry, leading eventually to one organisation.

“While it was sad that this occurred, further muddling our industry voice to Government and the public, it has meant that the board has been on a single focus to modernise the membership experience over the last year.

4 | Truck & Driver

“We have successfully combined the operations of the Road Transport Association and Road Transport Forum, and rationalised resources.

“There is now a much more direct connection of information and intelligence from members to the organisation and back again. We have lifted our profile significantly and have begun a change to widening our community across road transport and related industries.

“Change is not yet over for the road transport industry. The ultimate aim is for us to have one strong and powerful organisation and that remains our goal in the medium term,” Wilshier said.

Mainstream politics also featured at the conference.

Southland MP Penny Simmonds welcomed delegates to the conference and described the transport sector as: “the oil that keeps the machinery of regional economies like Southland moving, and New Zealand’s economy as a whole functioning.

“It is therefore absolutely essential that we keep our oil topped up, that we keep the transport sector informed, prepared and future focused.

“With the right support, and a Government that values and gets out of the way of, rather than hinders, the transport industry, this is a sector that can continue to perform at a world-class level and continue to go from strength to strength, enabling our economy to grow,” Simmonds said.

National’s transport spokesman Simeon Brown challenged the government and said it needed to keep costs under control.

He said roading funding was being diluted as activities such as coastal shipping and rail were being funded from the National Land Transport Programme.

NEWS “We have to be realistic, 93% of freight moves by trucks and that isn’t going to change any time soon regardless of how much money the government spends on rail,” he said.

Transport Minister Michael Wood didn’t attend the conference but delivered a Zoom presentation to outline the Government’s key priorities, including the Road to Zero strategy that aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the roads by 40 per cent by 2050.

“Based on international evidence, we can do the right things and save many lives – safer vehicles, safer drivers, safer roads, and safer speeds,” he said.

Minister Wood said the government remains committed to spending money on improving roads, as well as the need for new technologies and acting on climate change. His presentation also hinted that something like the Clean Car Rebate system introduced earlier this year could be a tool to accelerate the uptake of alternative powered heavy commercial vehicles.

A panel comprising Liz Yeaman (Retyna Group) Ryan McDonald (Hiringa Energy), Nic Williams (Z Energy) and Anthony Jones (HWR Group) gave updates on the latest electric vehicle technologies, energy policies and hydrogen projects.

While these technologies were still emerging, transport operators should try to gain early experience of the new energy alternatives to prepare for the future.

A highlight of the conference was an economic review by economist Cameron Bagrie, who said

Economist Cameron Bagrie says the economic and political landscape is changing. the world has entered a new era that is going to require a different approach.

“You have to take risks because doing things the same old, same old is not going to work.

As well as dealing with disruption, the laws of economics are back in play.”

He said “economic reality” had sunk in over the last week after the UK announced a big spending package and tax cuts.

“The pound got absolutely smashed and interest rates increased. The market was telling the politicians the days of the bottomless pit in terms of money is over. We need substance to decisionmaking, not politicians spreading money or tax cuts about like confetti.”

US Federal Reserve Governor Jerome Powell

got it right by warning about the dangers of inflation and saying it needed to be fixed.

There was also some other good news. “House prices are not going to keep going up. Perhaps New Zealanders need to invest in real productive assets and banks need to change their culture and invest into the real productive part of New Zealand.”

Bagrie also stressed the need to invest more in education, health and in infrastructure.

“Will a change of government support infrastructure spending and address education or simply put money in people’s pocket to appease voters? We do not need tax cuts. Witness what happened in the UK. We need policies with real substance,” Bagrie said. T&D

A panel comprising Liz Yeaman (Retyna Group), Ryan McDonald (Hiringa Energy), Nic Williams (Z Energy) and Anthony Jones (HWR Group) gave a comprehensive review of electric and hydrogen vehicle technologies.

Truck & Driver | 5

NEWS The new DAF XD distribution truck clinched the 2023 International Truck of the Year award.

DAF scores award double DAF HAS ACHIEVED BACK-TO-BACK WINS IN THE International Truck of Year award.

The new DAF XD series was revealed as the 2023 International Truck of the Year during the IAA Transportation press day in Hanover, Germany.

The success follows the 2022 win by DAF’s new generation heavy-duty XF and XG models. The award is decided by a jury of 24 commercial vehicle editors and senior journalists representing 24 major trucking magazines throughout Europe.

With a winning score of 134 votes, the Dutch truck manufacturer’s new distribution segment contender fought off tough challenges from Scania’s new Super long-haul driveline range and Mercedes-Benz’s heavy-duty Actros, equipped with the third generation OM 471 engine.

Based on the International Truck of the Year (IToY) rules, the annual award goes to the truck introduced into the market in the previous 12 months, making the most significant contribution to road transport efficiency. This judgment relies on several critical criteria, including technological innovation, comfort, safety, driveability, fuel economy, environmental ‘footprint,’ and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

With the same DNA as the new generation heavy-duty XF, XG, and XG+ models, DAF’s XD has taken full advantage of the EU’s new masses and dimensions regulations.

The result is a truck range that dramatically improves direct visibility (a key factor for distribution vehicles), internal cab space, aerodynamics, fuel efficiency, active and passive safety, and driver comfort.

During recently test drives in the Netherlands, the IToY journalists appreciated the driving position and the all-round enhanced visibility provided by a large, curved windscreen, side windows with low beltlines, and the kerb-view window.

6 | Truck & Driver

These features - along with the optional digital vision system that replaces the traditional rear view mirrors and the corner view mirror – improve the safety of vulnerable road users on congested urban roads.

The IToY jury also praised the performance of the new powertrain, which is based on the inline-six cylinder Paccar MX-11 engine, coupled with the ZF TraXon automated gearbox with advanced predictive features.

“With the introduction of the new XD series, DAF has delivered a state-of-the-art distribution truck family that sets a new benchmark in the automotive industry. Moreover, the new XD is also a suitable platform for the coming generation of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), to be introduced at the IAA Transportation,” says IToY Chairman Gianenrico Griffini.

New Zealand DAF distributor Southpac Trucks says the new generation XD range isn’t expected to be available in the Kiwi market until 2026.

The other major award included in the IToY programme is the 2023 Truck Innovation Award won by the Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ eActros LongHaul – a concept prototype for electric heavy-duty long-distance transport.

With a winning score of 112 votes, Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ batteryelectric truck (BEV) fought off the competition from ZF eTrailer, the full-electric Volta Trucks Zero range, and Faun Enginius fuel-cell powered vehicles for municipal missions.

According to IToY rules, a Truck Innovation Award nominee must be an advanced-technology vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of over 3.5-tonnes fitted with an alternative driveline or fuel system. Otherwise, it must feature specific high-tech solutions concerning connectivity (semior fully autonomous driving systems), platooning capability, or advanced support services such as remote diagnostics. T&D

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NEWS

Scania (right) and Iveco (below) are both readying public road trials in Europe for autonomous truck technology.

Autonomous trials set for Europe THE USA AND CHINA HAVE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT of autonomous trucking development and testing on public roads.

Now it’s Europe’s turn to join the fray with both Scania and Iveco set to begin pilot test schemes.

Scania is partnering with HAVI Supply Chain for a ground-breaking trial that sees an autonomous truck being used in the transport of commercial goods under regular traffic conditions.

The pilot aims to learn about the effectiveness of autonomous truck transport as part of hub-to-hub operations on a route between Sodertalje and Jönköping, a three-hour journey of around 300km. The route forms part of a longer logistics flow for HAVI, with the first and last mile being handled by manually driven vehicles.

“We know the transport system will change in the coming years and that the industry faces challenges of driver shortages and diminishing margins, so the transformation process towards autonomous technology needs to start happening right away,” says Robert Melin Mori, the Scania project manager in charge of this initiative.

“We need to learn about autonomous operations now so that we are ready as soon as the technology is ready. We believe this pilot will be a hugely important stepping stone,” The pilot is a first step in showing how autonomous trucks can form part of a viable hub-to-hub logistics flow and allows Scania and HAVI to evaluate the effectiveness of the technology in their operations.

“This is an autonomous transport solution being used under real operating conditions with commercial goods for a third party. No one has done that before in Europe,” says Peter Hafmar, Head of Autonomous Solutions at Scania.

HAVI is a natural partner for Scania in this bold project. The two companies have already established a strong track 8 | Truck & Driver

record of cooperation in several forward-thinking initiatives around electrified transport.

Iveco is working with California-based Plus and has completed the initial phase of closed course testing to prove the technical feasibility and capabilities of the Level 4 PlusDrive-equipped Iveco S-WAY truck.

The next important phase of the pilot is to conduct public road testing, paving the way for Iveco and Plus to produce a semi-autonomous product as a first step and to prepare for ultimately manufacturing fully autonomous vehicles.

“By leveraging Iveco’s deep expertise in commercial vehicles and Plus’s leadership in autonomous driving technology, we are advancing our capability to develop and later commercialise the next generation of innovation-driven, safety-enhanced, sustainable transport solutions,” says Marco Liccardo, Chief Technology & Digital Officer, Iveco Group.

Initial public road testing in vehicles supervised by a safety driver will cover a number of countries in Europe including Austria, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. The diversity in terrain, road gradient, weather, and driving scenarios all help to continuously expand the capabilities and features of Plus’s autonomous driving technology. T&D

NEWS

Cummins has solar power installations at 51 locations around the world with the Rocky Mountain Engine Plant being the largest in North America.

A place in the sun INVESTMENT IN SUSTAINABILITY AND GREENHOUSE gas reduction by Cummins extends beyond its research into alternative fuels and vehicle electrification.

Electricity for Cummins’ Rocky Mountain Engine Plant (RMEP) in North Carolina is now being provided by the company’s largest solar array in the United States.

The RMEP solar installation will directly support the Cummins PLANET 2050 environmental sustainability strategy by using low-carbon renewable power.

The 2030 goals included in the Cummins PLANET 2050 strategy call for reducing absolute greenhouse gas emissions from facilities and operations by 50%. The RMEP solar array and increasing the use of renewable power will significantly help move closer to that target.

The plant produces mid-range diesel and natural gas engines for more than 500 customers. It is a major employer in Nash County, North Carolina with over 1,800 people employed at the location.

The 3.62MW solar farm sits on 5.7Ha and will produce around 5.6 million kWh of power annually to reduce the plants commercial energy needs.

“We have ambitious sustainability goals in PLANET 2050 - aligned with the Paris climate accords and a target to be carbon-neutral by 2050 - and

are fully committed to achieving them,” says Jennifer Rumsey, President and CEO, Cummins.

“To get there, our efforts must touch our products, customers, facilities, employees and supply chain. This project is a reflection of that, and our goal of reducing absolute greenhouse gas emissions from facilities and operations by half by 2030.”

Unique to RMEP, the project uses solar tracking panels. This system has a single-axis tracker allowing the panels to arc and track the sun as it rises and sets. This increases system efficiency without having to install more panels.

The largest solar array within the company is on top of the Beijing Foton Cummins Engine Company (BFCEC) in Beijing, China, one of the company’s busiest plants, while, RMEP is Cummins’ largest solar array in the United States and the largest Cummins owned solar installation globally.

Cummins has completed 51 solar array installations at locations around the world, with 35 of these projects completed since 2019. There are 21 installations in India - where Cummins to date has its largest renewable footprint.

Planning is underway for 44 additional solar installations at Cummins sites, including 15 projects in the US, nine locations in China and sites in Mexico, the UK and Australia. T&D

Victory Kiss HUNGARIAN RACER NOBERT KISS CLINCHED THE 2022 Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship with a round to spare.

Defending champion Kiss, who drives for the Revesz Racing MAN team, extended the points lead he held at mid-season by posting seven more wins in the final 16 races of the series held at Most (Czech Republic), Zolder (Belgium), Le Mans (France) and the finale at Jarama (Spain) on October 1-2.

A record-breaking run saw Kiss with an unassailable lead in the series after the penultimate round at Le Mans to win the European title for the fourth time since 2014.

Across the eight-round, 32-race series Kiss was dominant scoring 16 race wins to accumulate 410 points. His commanding advantage was reflected by the other 16 race wins being shared among nine of his rivals.

Six-time champion Jochen Hahn (Germany) finished runner-up in his Iveco with 295 points, just 10 points clear of compatriot Sascha Lenz driving an MAN.

Champion Norbert Kiss (1) chasing the Freightliner of Adam Lacko at the Nurburgring.

Czech driver Adam Lacko was fourth driving a Buggyra ZM Racing Freightliner to score 264 points ahead of Spaniard Antonio Albacete (MAN) on 197. T&D Truck & Driver | 9

NEWS

Above: Trang Nguyen (left) from Castrol with Truck Driver Hero Award winner Josh Hart and his parents Debbie and Barry.

Below Right: John Alexander, Hayley Alexander, Paul Hintz, Neil Reid, Nadine Rowan-Thompson, Brianna Wilson, Josh Hart and Shona McGlashan in an awards night group photo.

Lower Right: Neil Reid accepts the Supreme Award and his Life Membership of Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting NZ.

10 | Truck & Driver

NEWS

Above: Bill Richardson Transport world in Invercargill hosted the Industry Awards night.

Below Left: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting NZ chairman Warwick Wilshier presents Neil Reid with life membership of the association.

Below right: Canterbury’s Brianna Wilson won the EROAD Young Driver of the Year award.

Southern Celebrations THE 2022 EDITION OF THE NEW ZEALAND ROAD Transport Industry Awards held in Invercargill on September 29 put the spotlight onto both lifetime contributions and the recent achievements of youth in the industry.

Staged at Bill Richardson Transport World, the awards dinner ended The Road Ahead Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand annual conference held at the Ascot Park Hotel over September 28-29.

Headlining the awards was the VTNZ Supreme Contribution to the NZ Road Transport Industry award which recognised Neil Reid’s lifetime involvement in the road transport industry.

A recent Road Transport Forum Chairman serving a six-year term, Neil was also named the inaugural life member of Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand at the awards evening.

Achievements over shorter timescales were also celebrated with the EROAD Young Driver of the Year (under 35) being won by Canterbury’s Brianna Wilson who has recently become a Class 5 driver at Philip Wareing Ltd. And the Castrol Truck Driver Hero Award winner was young Auckland

driver Josh Hart who was given a standing ovation for the success of his antibullying initiatives. The award also carries a $3500 travel prize.

Hamilton-based Alexander Group was named winner of the EROAD Outstanding Contribution to Health & Safety Award for its long standing leadership in the adoption of new safety innovations and consistently outstanding performances among the top of EROAD users globally.

The 2022 recipient of the Teletrac Navman Outstanding Contribution by a Woman in the Road Transport Industry is Jenny McIntyre, CEO of Waimea Contract Carriers from Nelson. In a video acceptance Jenny dedicated the award to her late father Simon.

The awards night also recognised the first group of Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand graduates from the innovative Te ara ki tua Road to Success training and qualification pathway.

Graduates Nadine Rowan-Thomson and Sheryl McGlashan were able to attend in person while Hayden Cockburn and Mark Closel had their graduations to Class 5 licences accepted by the employers who supported their training. T&D

Truck & Driver | 11

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NEWS

Nadine Rowan-Thomson with the team from KAM Transport.

Road to Success gains momentum THE ROAD TO SUCCESS programme has ambitious plans over the next 12 months to bring new drivers into a road transport industry feeling the effects of staff shortages and an ageing workforce.

“We want to have 1000 enrolments in Te ara ki tua Road to Success by the end of 2023,” says Membership Manager Fiona McDonagh.

“It’s vital we show that truck driving and transport is a profession, and that people can begin a career that has a clear pathway and a progression with recognised industry qualifications.

“We’ll be updating up our website with Road to Success stories and case studies and increasing our social media and print media messaging.

“We are also engaging with some of the larger companies to encourage them to bring both their new staff and any existing staff, who would like to upskill and gain qualifications, into Road to Success,” Fiona says.

Launched in May 2021, Road to Success is an industry-wide initiative of Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting NZ, the National Road Carriers and the NZ Trucking Association that aims to bring a traineeship framework to the industry.

The programme is structured to provide theory learning through micro-credentials to compliment the on the job training, as new drivers progress from class 2 to a Class 5 license in a 1224 month timeline. It also enables existing drivers to gain the industry qualifications to recognise their skills and ability behind the wheel.

Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting NZ recognised

the first four Road to Success graduates during the annual Industry Awards dinner held in Invercargill on September 29.

Sheryl McGlashan (Brenics Transport), Mark Closel (NZ Express) and Hayden Cockburn (Road Transport Logistics) have completed the four micro credentials and progressed to Class 5 licences through Road to Success while Nadine Rowan-Thomson (KAM Transport) has

completed all four micro credentials and is due to sit her Class 5 Learners licence in the next few weeks.

Fiona McDonagh says the first four graduates are being followed by another group that will have completed all of the qualifications and will graduate from Road to Success early in the new year.

Website: www.roadtosuccess.nz T&D

Sheryl McGlashan (left) receives her Road to Success graduation certificate from Fiona McDonagh.

Truck & Driver | 13

NEWS Transport Repairs in Cromwell has joined the Isuzu authorised service and parts (ASC) network.

Isuzu network expands TRANSPORT REPAIRS IN CROMWELL HAS BECOME the Isuzu authorised service and parts (ASC) dealer for Central Otago.

The move expands Isuzu’s coverage across the Otago region and increases the national network of ASC dealers to 18.

“Key to the success and popularity of Isuzu Trucks is dependability, reliability as well as nationwide after-sales support and service,” says Dave Ballantyne, General Manager of Isuzu Trucks New Zealand.

“We are committed to supporting our customers and the provision of a truly nationwide after-sales and service network is pivotal to achieving this. The appointment of Transport Repairs as an ASC will help ensure our customers have extra support close to hand in the Central Otago region.”

Transport Repairs Branch Manager Kieran Stevens is thrilled that he has been given this status and has already sent several staff to Auckland for the latest training.

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“We have enjoyed great success in recent years and to have this endorsement is exciting for our staff and local customers,” says Stevens.

“We have noticed that most fleets in our area feature Isuzu’s which are well suited to our environment where narrow roads and long distances are often part of a normal days work for transport companies in this area.”

Transport Repairs have a modern workshop and also have an active apprenticeship programme with up to 12 new apprentices taken on each year.

“Our teams encourage young people to learn all about servicing modern trucks which feature more and more technology, and Isuzu does a great job in teaching mechanics from all over NZ at their Auckland training school,” Kieran says.

Transport Repairs will work closely with Cooke Howlison, the Isuzu Master Truck Dealer for Otago. T&D

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Testing continues for Volta Zero THE FULL-ELECTRIC 16-TONNE VOLTA ZERO HAS completed hot weather testing ahead of its series production debut early next year.

The Vehicle Development team at Volta Trucks completed more than 2,500km of customer-focused driving cycles at motorway, town and city speeds while based at the Nardo Technical Centre in southern Italy for six weeks.

In temperatures of up to 39degC during the day and 28degC at night, the air conditioning system and thermal management of the battery

Hot weather testing for the Volta Zero is southern Italy included loose surface roads.

and powertrain of the Volta Zero have been fully evaluated to ensure operational reliability.

Although unlikely to be experienced in its natural urban surroundings, testing has also been completed on dusty road surfaces, pushing the vehicle’s suspension, steering, traction control and braking system beyond the expected limit of normal customer usage.

In addition, dust accumulation was studied for cabin and load box ingress, as well as how it sits on components such as lights, wipers and panels.

“The testing allows our engineers to incorporate their latest findings in the series production of customer specification vehicles, ensuring the Volta Zero will deliver a reliable and durable experience for future customers,” says Ian Collins, Chief Product Officer of Volta Trucks.

The Volta Zero is the world’s first purpose-built full-electric 16-tonne vehicle designed for urban logistics, reducing the environmental impact of freight deliveries in city centres. It is designed with an operating pureelectric range of 150-200km.

The prototype was launched in September 2020, with the first vehicles starting to be evaluated by customers in late-2022. Volta Trucks now has a total order bank of 6,500 vehicles, including orders for 1.470 trucks made

by DB Schenker and an order of 1,000 trucks by Petit Forestier.

Volta Trucks is a scale-up full-electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services company with its Head Office in Stockholm, Sweden.

Engineering is led from the UK, and forthcoming manufacturing will take place at Steyr, Austria. T&D

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NEWS Next year’s Brisbane Truck Show runs from May 18-21.

Brisbane show gears up THE BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW promises the biggest line-up of trucks, trailers, components, equipment and technology in the Southern Hemisphere next May. The biennial event will run from Thursday May 18 to Sunday May 21 2023 with the big brands under one roof at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

The show, recognised internationally among the world’s leading industry business events, is owned and run by national industry association, Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA), who have produced the Brisbane Truck Show, on behalf of

members and the broader industry, for over 50 years.

HVIA’s National Events Manager Noelene Bradley says the response from exhibitors has been overwhelming.

“We are delighted and humbled by the enthusiasm of all exhibitors to return for BTS23, including those that were prevented from making it to the last show,” Ms Bradley said.

“From an attendee point of view that sets us up for a compelling, value for money event.

“And that is before we even start talking about all the external events such as the South Bank Truck

Festival – all going from strength to strength.”

HVIA has developed a comprehensive strategy to ensure the continued growth of the Australian heavy vehicle sector’s major biennial event into the future.

The show’s themes and communication objectives are summed up by a group of key areas: innovation, safety, sustainability, careers, knowledge and community. From there they extend through technology, design, engineering and advanced manufacturing, to road safety, business insights, skills development, education & careers, workplace health & safety and more. T&D

Truck & Driver | 17

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NEWS

Volvo testing fuel cell trucks

Volvo will start testing hydrogen-fuelled fuel cell electric trucks on public roads in 2025.

VOLVO TRUCKS EXPECTS TO BEGIN CUSTOMER testing of fuel cell electric trucks on public roads from 2025.

The testing in commercial traffic with selected customers in Northern Europe is the second phase of the test programme for the fuel cell trucks that only emit water vapour and have an operational range comparable to diesel trucks, up to 1,000km.

When running the pilots, the filling of green hydrogen from renewable sources will be done at the home-depot.

Hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric trucks will be especially suitable for long distance and heavy, energy-demanding assignments. They could also be an option in countries where battery charging possibilities are limited.

“I believe that the pilot tests will highlight the potential for fuel cell electric trucks. The tests will run in a demanding, harsh climate and it also give us a great opportunity for driving with heavy loads up 65 tonnes,” says Jessica Sandström, SvP Global Product Management at Volvo Trucks.

A fuel cell generates its own electricity from the hydrogen onboard instead of being charged from an external source. The only bi-product

emitted is water vapour. Volvo’s electric trucks will use two fuel cells with a capacity to generate 300kW of power and will have a refuel time of less than 15 minutes.

Fuel cell technology is still in an early phase of development. While there are many benefits there remains some challenges, not least the largescale supply of green hydrogen and need to develop fuelling infrastructure.

To overcome the lack of available hydrogen when running the pilots, the filling of green hydrogen from renewable sources will be done at the homedepot.

“We expect the supply of green hydrogen to increase significantly during the next couple of years, since many industries will depend on it to reduce CO2. The fuel cell trucks will be important for longer and heavier transportations in a few years from now,” Sandström says.

The fuel cells will be supplied by cellcentric – the joint venture between the Volvo Group and Daimler Truck AG. Cellcentric will build one of Europe’s largest series production facilities for fuel-cells, especially developed for heavy vehicles. T&D

MOVE looks to methanol THE COASTAL SHIPPING SERVICE BEING ESTABLISHED

by MOVE Logistics Group will include future methanol capability for its new roll-on, roll-off (RORO) vessel design.

Earlier this year, MOVE successfully secured $10 million in co-investment funds from transport agency Waka Kotahi to support coastal shipping initiatives that improve the competitiveness of domestic coastal shipping, reduce freight sector greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance resilience.

Waka Kotahi has endorsed the proposal by MOVE for its RORO vessel design that includes a methanol tank and pipework installation during construction. This will allow the new vessel to be ready for the swap-in of carbon-friendly methanol powered engines as they become available.

“MOVE is committed to decarbonisation of freight and logistics activities,” says Executive Director Chris Dunphy.

“Our decision to invest alongside Waka Kotahi demonstrates the very real nature of how a former trucking company can become truly multi-modal and offer resilience to our clients via coastal shipping.”

The new RORO vessel will be able to berth wheeled cargo into at least 13 New Zealand ports, without the need for any new port infrastructure to be

built. The vessel will initially operate three sailings a week between Nelson and New Plymouth and provide an additional sea bridge between the North and South Islands. T&D The new MOVE RORO vessel will initially operate between New Plymouth and Nelson.

Truck & Driver | 19

NEWS

The Air Suspension Wheel can achieve fuel savings due to lower rolling resistance which reduces toxic emission gases or extends battery range for EVs.

Re-inventing the wheel A US COMPANY IS REINVENTING THE TRUCK WHEEL with an alternative to rubber tyres.

Phoenix, Arizona-based Global Air Cylinder Wheels is continuing the development of its unique Air Suspension Wheel (ASW) which is constructed mostly out of steel.

Global Air Cylinder Wheels says the design represents the next generation of wheels for many industries, offering innovative environmental benefits, fuel saving, emission reduction, and EV battery extension.

It says the ASW is an eco-friendly, stronger, and safer alternative to the traditional rubber tyre and is up to 60% more economical over the lifetime of the wheel.

The ASW construction combines an inner steel hub with an outer steel drum which is connected by eight or 12 nitrogen-filled air cylinders and up to six oil-filled dampers that provide suspension and damping.

On the outer drum, individually bolt-on steel or polyurethane treads are fitted. These individual treads can be replaced without removing the wheel, a time-consuming process that takes up to eight hours with Off the Road (OTR) rubber tyres.

“Many industries operate under status quo, resistant to change,” says Dr. Zoltan Kemeny, president and CEO of Global Air Cylinder Wheels.

“Those companies that do adopt new technologies and embrace innovation will prosper. We provide a breakthrough multi-vertical highpotential technology. For end-users, it solves a real problem. For investors, 20 | Truck & Driver

it gives them a unique opportunity to invest in an old market.”

The mechanical wheel design can be adjusted to the payload, speed, sideload, size and weight requirements of a variety of applications.

Benefits include no overheating and the tyre can’t explode. There is less waste as only the part that wears off will be replaced and the construction makes use of more sustainable materials.

The company also says the treads of the ASW can be made with biodegradable materials.

The ASW also achieves fuel saving due to lower rolling resistance which reduces toxic emission gases or extends battery range for EVs. Braking energy gets stored in the cylinders and gets returned to kinetic energy. The wheels have an estimated 10-15 years lifetime and are 100% recyclable..

The ASW technology has a strong patent portfolio with eight granted, and with 52 patents pending. The company has received multiple initial purchase orders and is expected to be fully commercialized within two years with rapid adoption into mining fleets.

“We are planning to have a commercially ready product for the mining market in Q1 2023 where the need is most urgent,” Kemeny says.

“Then followed by over-the-road applications such as cars, buses, and trucks. We are also looking to start developing other verticals next year.”

Global Air Cylinder Wheels has been developing the Air Suspension Wheel for OTR mining vehicles since 2016. T&D

NEWS The Trailer Drone is Hyundai’s concept for an autonomous and zero-emissions transport solution.

Hyundai scores design award HYUNDAI’S TRAILER DRONE FULLY AUTONOMOUS hydrogen mobility concept has secured the Korean marque its first-ever `Luminary’ honour at Red Dot Award: Design Concept 2022.

The `Luminary’ title is the highest level of recognition accorded at the Red Dot Award: Design Concept, selected from among Red Dot’s `Best of the Best’ winners to serve as inspiration and role model for designers.

The hydrogen-powered container transportation system is capable of operating fully autonomously. With the number of intelligently packaged hydrogen tanks tailored to the journey profile, the Trailer Drone ensures more than 1,000km of range from a single refuel, comparable to existing container transportation systems.

The concept is based around the flexibility of e-Bogies to deliver a unique and innovative commercial mobility solution in which a trailer is placed on two e-Bogies, allowing it to rotate in a smaller radius than a general trailer.

Unlike conventional tractors that are designed for container transportation only, Trailer Drone offers a multi-purpose platform capable of unlimited

business applications. When operated separately from a container trailer, the e-Bogie can be used in fields such as construction, firefighting and rescue.

“Trailer Drone is an important model that shows our vision for fully autonomous, hydrogen fuel cell-based commercial vehicles,” says SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Global Design Centre.

“This Luminary award celebrates the passion and efforts of our designers and engineers to make the dream of zero-emission mobility come true.”

Hosted by Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Germany, Red Dot Award is one of the world’s largest design competitions. The award breaks down into three different disciplines — Product Design, Brand & Communication Design and Design Concept — to better appraise the diversity in the field of design.

The Red Dot Award: Design Concept invites designers, design studios, companies and universities to present their most exciting design concepts and prototypes to an international panel of design experts. T&D

PowerTarps new appointment RIKI WILSON IS THE NEW SOUTH Island manager for PowerTarps NZ, a leading retractable tarp supplier.

Riki comes to PowerTarps with extensive experience selling and installing retractable tarps and is looking forward to getting out and seeing new and existing PowerTarps customers and growing the business.

“I’m pleased to be representing a brand like PowerTarps. Our retractable tarps are built to the highest quality. I am looking forward to reconnecting with my previous customers in both the commercial transport and the agricultural sectors,” Riki says.

Established in New Zealand in 2009, PowerTarps (NZ) is a family owned and operated business specialising in high quality mesh and PVC retractable tarps for trucks, trailers and agricultural bunkers. Its tarp systems can be easily operated from inside the cab or

from the ground using a smooth twin cable system that has had many years of development and enhancement.

“With the growth of our South Island business, it was time to put someone on fulltime representing the PowerTarps brand,” says managing director, Gary Andrews.

“We are pleased to have someone of Riki’s experience come on board to support our South Island customers and our distributors - Page Engineering and Skoda’s Trucking Solutions.

“Riki will be pivotal in enhancing the customer experience and service delivery for PowerTarps customers,” Gary says.

“We have a very passionate team at PowerTarps that continue to deliver a quality product. With maize silage season arriving, Riki will be busy out seeing these customers and showing them the features and benefits of our side winder product.” T&D

Riki Wilson

Truck & Driver | 21

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BIG TEST

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Catherine Wilson and the FUSO Shogun FS3146 are back on home ground, delivering the pallets and packaging picked up in Auckland to Transcon customers

Truck & Driver | 25

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Bringing in a new era of modern features to the tried and tested Mack model range, the new Anthem comes standard with an upgraded electronic platform and integrated steering wheel controls. New options include: fully integrated stand-up sleeper cab, fridge, leather seats, HD/XHD transmission and an integrated safety package.

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Our Giti Tyres Big Test Shogun brought Catherine Wilson and Stu Mawson together....now they’re engaged and will be married in January. Appropriately, the FUSO will be part of the celebrations!

KAY, SO THIS IS SOMETHING UNIQUE IN THE 23-year history of New Zealand Truck & Driver – truly, honestly….no BS whatsoever: This is a straightup, legit case of sweet serendipity!

Say what! Sweet what the……? Well, it sure as hell is not something you’d normally (like, ever!) associate with trucks…or a Giti Big Test. It means a chance encounter that’s life-changing…in a good way.

And yes, it happened in our test truck – a new(ish) FUSO Shogun FS3146 8x4 put on the road at the end of 2020 by Warkworth-based operator Transcon.

To complete the happy coincidences involved, our test is happening exactly one year to the day since rookie fulltime truckie Catherine Wilson first hopped into the 460-horsepower 8x4….

In a kind of love-at-first-sight beginning, she not only met her “perfect” truck….she also met her future husband for the first time! See – now that’s what you’d call serendipitous!

It happened on Catherine’s first day of work at Transcon, when the boss organised for her to spend the day in the passenger seat of the Shogun, so driver Stu Mawson could “show her the ropes.”

He was none too happy, he admits: “Well, I’m a sort of very press-on, get-the-job-done sort of guy. And umm I wasn’t thrilled when they rang me up and said I had to babysit someone for the day.”

Even when he discovered his passenger was a nice woman “with lovely eyes,” it was just work: “I was a crusty, hard-core single person….”

He had previously been “in a relationship for 20-odd years – married 16…. But umm, I got badly bitten, so I just swore off it, you know.

“I was quite happy with driving my trucks, living with my cat and going to the Tahi Bar quite regularly. So that was me – that was my life.”

Catherine likewise was “a hermit, living in a bus.” She too had been married before: “Yeah, I’ve had a few goes at it!”

But in the course of that day in the Shogun nicknamed Heidi, “I dunno – we just clicked,” sums up Stu. “I don’t have too much luck with women, to be honest. But the truck is my natural environment: If there’s one place I’m gonna be at ease and slightly impressive it’s gonna be in a truck,” he reckons, laughing.

Catherine and Stu discovered they both like stockcar racing, both were close to being loners, both had spent a lot of time in Hawke’s Bay (even knew some of the same people there) and both loved music. By the end of the day they were singing country singer Toby Keith’s As Good As I Once Was (a shared favourite) at the top of their voices.

A week later romance bloomed when Stu got brave enough to ask if Catherine might want to join him on their day off – going to the laundromat (!), the supermarket (!)…and then the beach.

Truck & Driver | 27

Now, as of a couple of weeks ago, they’re engaged – and will get married in January.

Absolutely appropriately, given how this truck played a cupid-like role in bringing these two together, Catherine will drive herself to the wedding in the 460 – wearing “something…. fluoro-themed.”

Stu, who moved on to a new 510hp Shogun tractor unit three months ago – when Catherine took over the 460 – will roll up in his truck.

And they’re going to get married in the Transcon yard, on the deck of the FUSO Enduro that was Catherine’s first drive with the company.

After the ceremony they’ll drive Stu’s tractor unit into town for the wedding party at the Tahi Bar – now their regular. (They’re known there as The Fluoro Twins – “because we just go after work in our fluoro gear.”)

All of this caps a remarkable last three years for Catherine – who, at the age of 61, embarked on a completely new start: At the end of 2019 she moved from Hawke’s Bay to Wellsford,

28 | Truck & Driver

bought an old Hino house truck as her new home….and started up in business as a rural real estate agent (continuing a career she’d pursued for eight years in HB).

After two years of COVID-19 lockdowns slowly but surely turned that venture into “a disaster,” she decided to take the plunge into something she’d wanted to do for decades: Become a fulltime truckie.

She had dabbled in truck driving since she was in her 20s: She and her first husband were pig farmers and Catherine did evening food scrap pickups around Hamilton in a four-wheeler with a little trailer behind.

By the early ‘80s she had a Class 4 licence and did a lot of driving in an old International ACCO, picking up hay and stock for the farm she was then on….

And later, while with a partner who was an operations supervisor at a 30-truck operation, she got her Class 5 learners and regularly drove empty trucks for him.

So in May last year she put her Class 4 (and C5 learners) to use and got a job driving 6x4 UD and Mitsi Shogun tippers for

Mason Contractors in Warkworth….having decided not to pursue a job with Transcon because “in my heart I thought freight would be dead boring.”

She loved the tipper work, but again ongoing COVID restrictions – aggravated by the winter slowdown in civil construction work – frustrated her….forcing a lot of time off.

In the end, after five months with Masons, the lure of driving every day, even during COVID lockdowns (freight being regarded as an essential service) prompted her to go for the job with Transcon…

And, after that fateful first meeting with Stu and the 460, she started work last October, driving a “very basic, but nearnew” Enduro curtainsider. It’s turned out that, despite her expectations, she loves the variety of the freight work.

After six months with Transcon, Catherine got her Class 5 licence….but on her first day in a Euro HD truck and trailer unit, she got her boot caught on the top step, fell and broke a wrist.

Three months later, when Stu vacated the 460 for Transcon’s new 510 Shogun, Catherine was “in the right place, at the right

time” to take over the FS3146 that had brought her and Stu together.

Cupidity and serendipity were, of course, far from Transcon owner Blake Noble’s mind when he added the new 460 to what is now a 16-truck fleet – FUSOs all, bar a Hino bought to fill a specific need.

Reliability was a major consideration: Since buying Transcon in 2015 Noble had progressed from second-hand to new (and affordable) Enduros and medium-duty Fighters, and then on to more powerful (but unfortunately troublesome) HD Euros.

The five of them in his fleet all suffered gearbox woes: The old-tech AMTs were not only slow shifting, they were also “very temperamental....and we had some reasonably significant repairs,” says Noble.

When FUSO launched the new Euro 6 Shogun here in 2019 it reckoned it was “the most advanced, the best Japanese truck every built….The Next Big Thing….a huge game-changer.”

This model marked the first time the Japanese make had made the most of its position as part of the Daimler Truck

Catherine reckons that the Shogun is easy to drive and, despite having enjoyed driving Roadranger manuals in the past, she loves the FUSO ShiftPilot AMT

Truck & Driver | 29

Warkworth-bound on Auckland’s northern motorway, the lightly-loaded truck and trailer unit is in easygoing cruise mode

Sales of the 510hp 6x4 have taken off, strengthening the case for adding an 8x4 510 model. group – using the 10.7 litre Detroit DD11 engine from Daimler’s global engine platform, for example.

Compared to the HD Euro’s 12-litre OM457 engine, the DD11/ FUSO OM470 was lighter, more fuel-efficient and had a Jacobs engine brake.

Similarly, the M-B G330 or G230 12-speed AMT, with ShiftPilot software, was two generations ahead of the HD Euro’s gearbox – and worked seamlessly with the DD11 to deliver up to 20% better fuel economy….and faster shifting.

While Fuso NZ execs said at the Euro 6 Shogun’s launch that the problems with the outgoing HD Euro AMT’s shifting and its problematic interface with the previous engine had eventually been solved (by a change in the ECU and the AMT mapping software), the new model’s driveline was clearly a very big 30 | Truck & Driver

improvement.

FUSO loyalist Noble took them at their word – and they didn’t let him down: The 460 and the 510 Euro 6 Shogun he’s bought since are a “significant” improvement on the HD Euros.

In fact, he quickly adds, they’ve been a “massive” step up.

Our test truck’s performance has been “impeccable” during the 130,000 kilometres so far clocked up. And, as a counterpoint to the troublesome HD Euros, “it’s a cheap truck to own.”

Noble had no higher-horsepower choice when it came to the 8x4’s engine rating: So far the 510 engine is available only in a 6x4 – although when I ask Fuso NZ national sales manager Cameron Childs if we’re going to get a 510 twin-steer, he says: “Yes we are…we’ll get it eventually…” When that might be is left unsaid.

The 510 6x4 “has absolutely taken off.” And that sales success, Childs says, has strengthened the case for adding an 8x4 510 – given the importance in NZ of the eight-wheeler market, and the fact that “40-45% of it is in that 500-540hp range.”

Regardless, Blake Noble wasn’t bothered: While he would, soon after, opt for a 510 6x4 to go in front of a Fruehauf 34-pallet refrigerated B-train with insulated curtains (running on a 50MAX permit), he decided that the 460hp/338kW rating, backed up by 1633 lb ft/2213 Newton metres of peak torque, made perfect sense for an eight-axle truck and trailer curtainsider doing regional freight.

Catherine and the 460 are partway through a pretty typical morning when we catch up with them in Penrose. It’s not long before 10am and she’s already delivered a load of Sawmill beer

from Matakana and is partway through picking up freight for the run back to Warkworth.

Usually she would have started work at 5am, loading the 460 and its four-axle Opinion trailer at a local produce packhouse – leaving half an hour later for Auckland, often with capsicums or much heavier avocados. Occasionally she runs north instead, to Whangarei, the Bay of Islands, Maungaturoto or Dargaville.

Today she started about 15 minutes later, due to days of bad weather having reduced the produce harvest – prompting a switch of her southbound load to the beer, which was loaded last thing yesterday.

The Auckland freight is typically destined for the Warkworth area, but sometimes for other lower North destinations. She usually gets back to home base around midday or early afternoon, ready for local deliveries or, sometimes, another trip

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From left to right: The Shogun cab is nicely functional..... the 10.7-litre USO OM470 engine is a night-and-day improvement on its predecessor....Even Catherine’s surprised that she actually enjoys driving congested Auckland streets most days

down to Auckland, or a run to Dargaville or Whangarei.

The loads vary a lot – the heaviest (including avocados, beer, steel and bulk plastic) sometimes pushing the unit up to its 44-tonne all-up maximum. Since the truck boasts a light tare weight, at around 11,000kg, and the trailer tares at just under 6000kg, it accommodates a 26t-27t payload.

The Euro 6 Shogun’s cab and appointments have been well canvassed in previous Giti Big Tests. What we were hoping to experience was how the 460hp-rated DD11 copes on decent hills, with a full load.

Unfortunately, Sod’s Law has seen to it that not only our potential southbound load of avocados wasn’t available…. nor was a hoped-for northbound load of steel. We do have a full load alright – but only one that fills most of the available space, and doesn’t weigh much.

With a Bigfoot onboard With a you’ll Bigfoot monster any onboard you’ll surface

The wooden pallets and carboard packaging for avocados and capsicums now loaded onto the 30-pallet unit (14 on the truck, 16 on the trailer) amount to maybe half the weight of the maximum payload.

That, as Blake Noble says, “is just the way it works with freight.”

By 9.45am the Structurflex curtains on the truck and its Opinion trailer are closed and secured and Catherine is calmly negotiating a couple of tight-as 90-degree turns – with parked cars and trucks and a potentially curtain-tearing security fence as obstacles.

As careful as she is behind the wheel, her beloved 460 is showing a scar from the challenges of driving every day in Auckland: The offside rear vision mirrors have lost their plastic shroud: She’d been toodling along in the left lane on the Mt

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Wellington Highway when “this bloody aggregate truck and trailer unit beside mefeel and, ascomfortable he was about to turn Above: A daycame bed adds an airy to the Shogun cab right, he came over into my lane.

Below: Three steps combine with good grabhandles to provide good was like ‘aaaagh!’ And I think I hit a bus stop pole and it cab“Iaccess (the shroud) just pinged off. It was better than getting the side ripped open.”

Auckland and its congested roads were two things she absolutely intended to avoid when she moved north three years ago, and she reckons: “If somebody had told me two years ago that I’d be driving a Class 5 truck in the middle of Auckland every day – and going over the Harbour Bridge – I would’ve laughed at them.

“But I’ve grown to like the whole metro thing.” The very first day she rode as a passenger to Auckland “it was just so varied….and I thought wow, this is cool.”

Besides, the roads heading south from Warkworth are still way better than those going north: “Northland roads are disgusting! And I won’t go over 80k in the truck (on them), especially empty: It just bounces you up to the roof!”

You can tell Catherine’s a bit proud of her fresh start at 63: “They say ‘ah – you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.’ Well, that’s a load of bullshit.”

It has helped, of course, that as she declares: “Oh, I just love trucks.” This one in particular.

It is, she says, “a magic truck. The trailer backs well… everything runs well on it. The gearbox is sweet. It’s got a big blasting horn. Everything’s great (on this).”

A little surprisingly for someone who says she loves driving 18-speed manuals (and who has impressed longtime truckie Stu with her gearshifting skills), Catherine is a big fan of the AMT: “I was used to a Roadranger…but this is magic. Yeah well, it means you can concentrate on everything else.

“This automatic system is perfect. Some of the other trucks – like I had a Mercedes that was okay empty, but as soon as you put weight on it, it was terrible (this as she imitates a gearbox chopping and changing). It didn’t know what it was doing…”

And while other drivers say they switch off the likes of the lane-departure warning system, she likes that too – “especially when you’re getting right into town and you’re just busy concentrating on people. Like between Khyber Pass and the Victoria Park tunnel – the lanes narrow.”

She also likes using the adaptive cruise control….but, unexpectedly (since I figure it would make driving in heavy traffic a lot easier as its proximity control works to maintain a gap to the vehicle ahead), “not around town. Nah I’m a bit of a control freak,” she laughs.

What she doesn’t like about the system is that she can set the speed for 88km/h, with a 2k overrun allowance. But when the truck is carrying a good load, and maybe running downhill, it will exceed the overrun by 5km/h or more – triggering an EROAD speeding alert.

So: “If I’m heavy, and ‘specially going downhill, I flick it into manual. I’ve always driven manual vehicles and I like using the gears to reduce the speed. I just hate using brakes for the sake of it.”

Having other drivers on the busy motorway squeezing into her lane doesn’t bother her too much: “I’m not a fast driver – and I’m not impatient. And yeah, I let people in.” The result, in terms of time taken to do a run, balances out, she believes: “I might be a bit slower in my driving, but I think I’m pretty quick in finding someone to get my load organised and I get my truck ready quick. The dispatch guys often say ‘oh you were quick.’

And it’s definitely not my speed on the road.”

But, for the sake of our test, she selects adaptive cruise anyway – setting the proximity control at a healthy 50 metres: “We can have a go at this – let’s see what happens.”

And yes, it soon shows that it’s working – as, inevitably, vehicles cut in front of us on the motorway. Catherine is getting to like this proximity control assistance system: “This might be

34 | Truck & Driver

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the beginning of a whole new relationship,” she enthuses.

But then a van pulls in front of us just before the Harbour Bridge, and as we close in on it before the autonomous braking kicks in, she says nervously – her foot hovering over the brake pedal: “I do not like this!”

Then as we run up to Albany, a BMW shifts into our lane and again the system seems to take longer to react than Catherine would like: “I’m trying not to use the brake…..yeah, that was close.”

And then there’s the adaptive cruise control’s overrun – on the descent from the Albany hill it allows us to get to 8km/h over the set speed, seemingly disregarding Catherine’s requested 2k maximum overrun.

The Shogun also has driver fatigue monitoring via a camera monitoring the driver’s eyes. But, as with another Shogun test we’ve done, its view of the driver’s eyes seems to be blocked by the steering wheel – at least where Catherine has the wheel adjustment set.

She has experienced the Active Brake Assist 5 emergency autonomous braking system in operation – although not necessarily in the way intended: “Yes it has happened – but only in very slow manoeuvring in tight spots, like going right up to a fence and then hard left to get around….and it did it then.

“It’s happened a couple of times since – when you’re in tight spots and you have to go right to the end to turn, it’ll stop you.”

With the light load on board, the OM470 engine and the ShiftPilot AMT keep us humming along at nothing slower than 78km/h in 11th gear, before NZ Truck & Driver tester Hayden Woolston takes over the wheel at Silverdale.

The 11-litre six produces its 460hp/338kW between 1500 and 1800rpm, while its 1663 lb ft/2213Nm of peak torque is on tap from 1100 to 1500 revs.

Clearly, we’re not going to get the chance to experience that in a meaningful way on this trip. The toughest task it has all day is hauling its light load up to Windy Ridge, which slows it down to 45km/h at worst.

Transcon owner Blake Noble figured that the 460hp-rated Shogun would suit his regional freight operations perfectly....and reckons it was a good decision

36 | Truck & Driver

When I ask Catherine if it’s got enough power and torque for the job, she’s adamant that it does: “When I’ve run truck-only (up to Bay of Islands) with avocados we’re on maximum weight…and it still just cruises. It’s a great truck.”

Stu, who drove the 460 for its first 90,000K or so, also clearly loves the thing: “She’s got a low tare and that does help, because whatever you throw in it, you’re already winning anyway…”

He remains a fan, even after three months in the 510: “Mine’s got a little bit more (horsepower) but you wouldn’t know really.

I mean I’m impressed with the way my one pulls, but I always thought Heidi had enough.”

It easily out-performs Transcon’s 480hp Hino and its 470hp FUSO HD Euros, he reckons: “It’s the torque, the gearbox, everything. There’s a saying that ‘it’s not really the number of horses, it’s the size of the horses.’

“You could have 550 Shetland ponies or you could have, you know, 460 Clydesdales and Heidi’s got friggin’ 460 Clydesdales.

She pulls hard.”

The torque, he says, is “usable down to about 1100 really.” And power-wise, “there’s no point revving it out beyond about 1750.”

As for “that gearbox: It reads your mind! The generational change between the old one (the HD Euro’s AMT) and the new one….it just blew my mind.

“The gearbox wants to keep you moving and the gearchanges are so quick and crisp. It’s like bang, bang, bang.

“The older generation (AMT) – if you want to knock it down a gear going up a hill, you lose so much speed because it takes so long.

“I’m not paid to say I’m a Mitsi or FUSO fan,” he says, laughing: “I’ve driven everything, but yeah I’m impressed with these girls.”

Heidi, he says, is “a bloody good truck mate.”

Undoubtedly, the Euro 6 Shogun was an important factor in FUSO last year bumping Isuzu from its long reign as NZ’s bestselling truck make – with hundreds of them now on the road.

Even in such a crowd, Heidi is unique: Betcha it’s the only one that’s been responsible for a case of sweet serendipity! T&D

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Test

HTAYDEN REVOR

H

OW MUCH HORSEPOWER DO YOU NEED? For me the answer depends on the job. Yes, some trucks need 600plus horsepower, but with a lot of New Zealand freight tasks something less than 500hp seems to be a regular purchase decision for many companies.

And one thing I like when doing tests is discovering a truck that has been specced to its job almost perfectly.

This month’s GITI Tyres Big Test fits this train of thought. The truck runs general freight from Warkworth to Auckland and as far north as the Bay of Islands.

Woolston at the wheel as the Shogun makes the top of Windy Ridge, heading for home

38 | Truck & Driver

It doesn’t need huge horsepower due to the freight it carts and an 11-litre engine producing 460hp/338kW between 1500-1800rpm and 1663 lb ft/2213Nm of torque at 1100-1500rpm revs comes with the advantage of Daimler Truck DNA. Yes, this is a Japanese truck, but it has a Daimler driveline and high torque performance that makes the truck feel like more than a 460.

We catch up with Transcon’s Fuso Shogun FS3146 8x4 curtainsider towing a 4-axle trailer in Penrose for its regular run back to Warkworth with regular driver Catherine Wilson at the wheel.

Hayden Woolston

Once loaded we head out of Auckland through the busy mid-morning traffic and up to the Dairy Flat BP. This is where I take over to take the truck over Windy

• SPECIFICATIONS • Ridge. The truck is only loaded to half its weight capacity, but Transcon owner Blake Noble says that’s the nature of freight.

We have previously tested the new Fuso Shogun 510hp 6x4 configuration and the cab interior has already been covered extensively. It is a no frills but comfy workstation with once again the Daimler DNA coming through to the drivers functionality with the set-up of the stalks. Everything is at your fingertips.

The climb into the cab is very good with three well-spaced steps and long grab handles on each side of the door. The driver’s seat is also very comfy and it’s easy to set your driving position and get on the road.

I think what makes this interior fit for me is the balance between analogue switches compared to touch screen stuff. I like my air con analogue and my radio, hands free etc

controlled from the steering wheel and this cab gives me that. There is also a generous amount of storage in this cab which is good for any driver.

Off and running up the onramp to the North I find pulling out onto the motorway is a breeze being able to get up to a good speed to match the cars and the mirrors giving me clear vision of what is coming alongside me.

The first thing I do once on the motorway clicking along at 90km/h is put the cruise control on. I’ll never forget the first time I drive this new model at a pre-launch day and from Huntly to Auckland relied on the adaptive cruise control. I’m a fan of it. Once again it doesn’t disappoint the truck cruises along with good feeling in the steering.

Once we have negotiated the Puhoi Tunnel and the roadworks north of that it’s time to hit Windy Ridge. With the truck only being half loaded we have no problems with our speed only dropping to 45km/h for the tight right hand turn halfway up.

The downshifts don’t miss a beat and are fast enough that we don’t lose speed. On the second part of the climb, we gain speed and after the left hand turn before the top of the rise where there is a steep pinch the gearbox actually shifts up a gear from 9th to 10th and pulls us away up to the ridge.

To be fair I really didn’t expect it not to perform with other tests I have tried to catch this AMT out on hills, but it is just too smart for me. Plus, its these exact roads that Skip Golden helped map the gearbox and engine combination for FUSO NZ. During my drive with Catherine, I learn about the special relationship that she has with this truck. She tells me how on her first day riding along as a passenger learning the ropes that the guy in the driver’s seat(Stu Mawson) would in time be her future fiancée. Well, that’s a first for me and for our 23 years of testing truck every month.

Once over Windy Ridge it’s time to give Catherine her truck back for the rest of the drive to Warkworth.

Once again, the Fuso Shogun has not disappointed me. The 460 8x4 with its impressive torque delivery has a place in the market that matches a lot of NZ freight work.

All the best for the upcoming wedding Catherine and Stu, I hope it is a great day for you both and that you have a blast. T&D

FUSO SHOGUN FS3146 Euro 6 8x4 Engine: FUSO OM470/Detroit DD11 Capacity: 10.67 litres Maximum Power: 338kW (460hp) @ 1600rpm Maximum Torque: 2213Nm (1663 lb ft) @ 1100-1500rpm Engine Revs: 1350rpm at 90km/h in top gear Fuel capacity: 400 litres Transmission: 12-speed FUSO ShiftPilot Gen 3/G230-12 AMT Ratios: 1st – 11.67 2nd – 9.10 3rd – 7.05 4th – 5.50 5th – 4.40 6th – 3.43 7th – 2.65 8th – 2.07 9th – 1.60 10th – 1.25 11th – 1.00 12th – 0.78 Front axle: FUSO F900T I-Beam, rating of 13,000kg Rear axles: D10 hypoid tandem, with inter-axle diff lock, combined rating of 21,600kg Auxiliary brakes: Three-stage Jacobs engine brake, producing 335kW/460hp Front suspension: Long taper leaf with stabiliser bar and doubleacting shock absorbers Rear suspension: Air, trailing arm GVW: 30,800kg GCM: 55,000kg

Truck & Driver | 39

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Driving the economy

Bottomless money pit is a thing of the past Leading economist Cameron Bagrie addresses Transporting New Zealand’s Road Ahead Conference.

I

by Nick Leggett Chief Executive Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

A ARA AOTEAROA TRANSPORTING NEW Zealand members will by now be familiar with Cameron Bagrie’s style of economic analysis. Bagrie is a trusted voice amongst the endless noise of economic and political commentators, which is why over a number of years we have trusted him to provide sound advice to our industry.

At the recent Road Ahead Conference in Invercargill Bagrie provided some typically hard-headed analysis of the state of the economy, where it is heading and the type of environment our businesses will be operating in.

After a long period of market resilience, the old laws of economics are back in play, he told the Conference. If you print a whole lot of money, the Government spends a lot of money and you get a supply shock you unleash the thief that is inflation.

Most of our workforce has yet to see the destructive impact of inflation because they are all under 50 and it is going to be tough for some. The good news is that this means business is fun again. Not everyone will make money. Businesses will have to be good to succeed in a tough market and it will be all about market share – “who can rip the throat out of the competition,” as Bagrie put it.

The advice for businesses is to learn again to take risk.

Doing things the same old way they always have been done, will not guarantee success, and will actually expose a business to having disruption inflicted upon them by competitors or a

changing market. The weak will get eliminated.

As a country we can no longer rely on ever-increasing property prices. What only a year or two ago were low-risk investments are now high-risk. “So perhaps New Zealanders need to invest in real productive assets and banks need to change their culture and invest into the real productive part of New Zealand,” he suggests.

Bagrie was also extremely critical of the current generation of global political leaders and their response to the changing global economy.

The recent budget package released by Liz Truss’ Conservative Government in the UK came in for a particularly unfavourable review, and when you look at what has happened to the pound since, it’s hard to argue with that. Divisive tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthiest individuals (some of which have since been backed away from) along with massive spending to help offset the rise in energy prices is incredibly irresponsible at a time where hard-headed economic orthodoxy is the order of the day.

“The days of the bottomless pit in terms of money is over,” Bagrie said. “Now, economic reality is starting to sink in.

Now, we need substance to decision-making, not politicians spraying money or tax cuts around like confetti…The old laws of economics are back.”

Looking at the significant issues for New Zealand, Bagrie emphasised the weakness of many of our economic and Truck & Driver | 41

4:53 PM

Driving the economy

The British Pound took a hammering on the back of what most observers concluded was an irresponsible budget package by the new Conservative leadership.

structural fundamentals, including our current account deficit of $28 billion, or 7.7 percent of GDP in the red. He pointed to the huge drop-off in school attendance and educational attainment levels as things that will have a big impact in the future.

The fragmentation of our society is also a big problem according to Bagrie. This is something I’d say many of us have become aware of over the last couple of years, and as Bagrie points out, we are all having these conversations in our own homes or with our friends about how it just doesn’t feel right.

All these issues are being borne out in our migration figures. It seems as though more people who leave New Zealand are not coming back…what we are seeing at the moment is the population below the age of 65 actually shrinking!

“Migration is symptomatic of the broader economic story; we get the economic story right and people are going to stay,” Bagrie advised.

The challenges ahead for transporters, business leaders and politicians are significant and it is invaluable to have someone like Cameron Bagrie to lay those out for us. However, it is not all doom and gloom, because we know the path ahead. It will just take hard work, innovation and the motivation to take some risks – in this way, good businesses will still succeed.

Address your wellness in challenging times A couple of months ago I focused my column in NZ Truck & Driver

on the stress the industry has been under through the pandemic and its aftermath. Rising costs, ongoing inflation, decreasing margins and an ultra-tight labour market are having a big effect on transport businesses and this is impacting on the wellness of our people.

A survey Transporting New Zealand conducted has provided further evidence that mental wellbeing is a growing issue in the industry, with 60 percent of trucking company owners and drivers experiencing detrimental impacts on their mental health over the course of the pandemic.

While the survey also found that trucking companies did a good job in providing support to their staff, we must continue to make sure that we keep confronting these issues and use our shared experiences to be more open and assist each other.

As a membership organisation, Transporting New Zealand is here to assist you. Firstly, do not hesitate to make contact with one of our capable regional advisors and have a confidential chat about the challenges you and your business are facing. They will help you access the support you need. Secondly, visit the new health and wellbeing section of our website where we have a range of resources and tools to help support health and wellbeing in your business. This available to all members at https://www. transporting.nz/healthandwellbeing.

If you or any of your work colleagues are dealing with anxiety then please, go talk to someone and access help. It may be an old saying, but it still rings true – a problem shared, is a problem halved. T&D

Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand’s Regional and Sector Advisors are available to assist members right around New Zealand.

Ia Ara Aotearoa – Transporting New Zealand PO Box 1778, Wellington 04 472 3877 info@transporting.nz

Nick Leggett, Chief Executive 04 472 3877 • 021 248 2175 nick@transporting.nz Mike McRandle, Regional & Sector Manager 027 556 6099

www.transporting.nz 42 | Truck & Driver

Keith McGuire, Region 2 027 445 5785 Sandy Walker, Region 3 027 485 6038 John Bond, Region 4 027 444 8136 Jim Crouchley, Region 5 027 261 0953

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W e h T On Story Colin Smith

HE DECARBONISATION OF FREIGHT MOVEMENTS will be a major contributor to global sustainability and climate change targets.

One of the world’s biggest logistics players has a clear timeline for achieving carbon neutrality across its broad range of activities and is spreading the net wide to gather

early experience with alternative energy sources and technologies.

DB Schenker is a 100% subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn and since 2002 has been the logistics arm of the state-owned German rail operator. The company’s history goes back much further however and in 2022, DB Schenker has been celebrating its 150th anniversary.

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To reach its ambitious declared goal of climate-neutrality by 2040, the logistics service provider is continuously investing in innovative transport solutions, renewable energies, and carbon-neutral products.

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largest freight and logistics operators. The company operates land, air, and ocean transportation services, and it also offers comprehensive solutions for contract logistics and global supply chain management.

In land transport DB Schenker makes more than 100 million shipments each year - or three shipments each second. It

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Truck & Driver | 45

• • •

• • •

• • • •

• • • •

• • •

• • • • • •

• • • •

DB Schenker have been early adopters of Daimler Truck EV models including the Mercedes-Benz eActros and FUSO eCanter.

ranks as Europe’s largest land transport operator (based on turnover), the world’s fourth largest air freight provider (based on tonnage) and is number five worldwide in ocean freight (based on TEU). Its Contract Logistics operations are delivered from 3.4 million sqm of storage area.

A visit to DB Schenker’s Frankfurt depot and the chance to speak with Andrea Goeman, Vice-President of Global Sustainability Portfolio Management, provided a window into a company which has clearly communicated its ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) strategy.

Across all of its operations DB Schenker aims to have made the exit from the use of diesel, aviation kerosene and marine fossil fuels by 2040. Its targets are in-line with a Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi) and the United Nations Paris Climate Agreement of a 1.5degC global warming budget from 2021-2030.

The work has already begun. DB Schenker estimates it has completed more than 1.5 million kilometres with electrically powered trucks in its European land transport network and its adoption of EVs - along with hydrogen and sustainable fuels is set to ramp up quickly in the next few years.

“This is an absolute transformation for our company. We relied heavily on diesel fuels in the past and now we try to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040,” says Andrea Goeman.

“We cannot do it by ourselves. We need to build alliances

with our suppliers and customers.

“Our targets are for the short term and the mid-term. By 2030 we want to reduce our carbon emissions by 20% in air freight and ocean freight and in land transport in Europe it’s 50% reduction by 2030. This is quite ambitious, but we have already started on this journey,” she says.

Those reductions are calculated with 2021 being the base year.

“We also focus on the building sites, especially new buildings using more renewable power like solar and wind power and also using LEDs for example.”

The company is moving to toward procuring renewable power from solar and wind generation and has the target of reaching 100% green electricity use in its buildings by 2025.

DB Schenker has worked closely – but not exclusively – with Daimler Truck for its early battery electric vehicle (BEV) solutions and has been Daimler’s most significant partner in field trials of new electric models.

It was an early adopter of the FUSO eCanter for urban delivery work – deploying its first two electric trucks in Berlin back in 2017. And DB Schenker teamed with Daimler in customer trials of the new Mercedes-Benz eActros distribution truck, starting two years before it went into series production.

“In regard to trucks we focus mostly on e-trucks and our first hydrogen trucks are coming next year as we try out new Truck & Driver | 47

innovations in the trucking business,” Goeman says.

She outlines the company’s long term trucking strategy is for BEVs in collection and distribution roles and sees hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) as the preferred linehaul option.

“In many countries we already have different vehicles operating. We also have e-trucks operating in Japan, Brazil and on a large scale in China. Mostly for the last mile delivery, so the smaller trucks (7.5 tonnes),” she says.

At the beginning of April this year DB Schenker had

electrified vehicles working in 14 European nations and it operates Europe’s biggest fleet of FUSO eCanters.

The fleet included 56 e-vans, 49 e-trucks, 62 cargo e-bikes for last mile deliveries and five hybrid trucks. The numbers are continuing to increase rapidly.

Beyond its cooperation with Daimler Truck, DB Schenker is partnering with other truck makers on EV trials. It was among the first companies to work with Volvo when a pre-production FL Electric went into service in Sweden with partner haulier TGM in early 2019.

Urban freight work makes use of the FUSO eCanter and e-bikes for last mile delivery.

48 | Truck & Driver

Mercedes-Benz eActros and FUSO eCanter at the Frankfurt depot of DB Schenker.

And DB Schenker is already in line as the biggest customer to date signed up for the electric Volta Zero urban delivery truck, pre-ordering almost 1500 of the 16-tonne trucks and scheduled to take delivery of the first production units early next year.

It’s been involved with early trials of the Volta Zero in several major European cities.

The full-electric 16-tonne Volta Zero will be used in DB Schenker’s European terminals to transport goods from distribution hubs to city centres and urban areas. The vehicle’s

innovative design, safety-oriented cab to protect vulnerable road users, and zero-tailpipe emission drivetrain will offer a range of benefits.

“Since the beginning of the partnership between DB Schenker and Volta Trucks, we have been in close contact and we continue to move forward with the development of the vehicle together,” says Cyrille Bonjean, Executive Vice President Land Transport at DB Schenker in Europe.

“It’s great to see the results on the streets of Paris now. It all started with an idea: now it’s a reality and we look forward

A project using Scania electric trucks is underway to make freight distribution carbon-neutral on the Swedish island of Gotland.

Truck & Driver | 49

Andrea Goeman, Vice-President of Global Sustainability Portfolio Management (left) with Frankfurt branch manager Hendrik Nonnenmacher and West area manager Lars Koch. to adding the first pilot vehicles to the fleet in Europe at the beginning of 2023.”

DB Schenker’s initial foray into hydrogen fuel cell transport for longer distances and heavier applications is with Hyzon trucks leased from German supplier HyLane.

Lufthansa and DB Schenker are collaborating on the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels for air freight.

These are the same DAF-based Hyzon tractors that will be

used in the Hiringa Energy, Waitomo Petroleum and TR Group project starting in New Zealand next year.

Fuel-cell powered trucks offer several advantages in longdistance transport as compared to battery-electric vehicles: The maximum payload is higher, the range is greater, and the refuelling process comparable to diesel.

DB Schenker expects delivery of its first Hyzon trucks by the end of this year and plans to start field tests with selected customers in the beginning of 2023. It also intends to upscale and commercialise operations beginning in Q3 2023, depending on factors such as hydrogen infrastructure and market acceptance.

In the aim to be carbon-neutral by 2040 the use of green hydrogen (hydrogen produced using renewable energy sources) will be an essential element of the company’s decarbonisation strategy.

An interesting microcosm of DB Schenker’s sustainability efforts in Europe involves Scania electric trucks on the Swedish island of Gotland.

The Gotland region (an island in the Baltic Sea) has set a target to be fossil-free in 2040, five years ahead of Sweden’s national target. One step towards that sees Schenker Åkeri AB take over all distributional transport on the island, and made it fossil-free with the support from Scania.

Four Scania P25 electric distribution trucks and the two

50 | Truck & Driver

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Starting next year the Volta Zero 16-tonne electric truck will play a key role in DB Schenker’s move away from fossil fuels.

Scania PHEV hybrids are a part of DB Schenker’s transition to fossil-free on Gotland. The ambition is to be the world’s top island-region in sustainability with DB Schenker taking on a whole region, ensuring it has fossil-free distributional transports in one go.

“We already operate with electric vehicles throughout Sweden, and know how that works out. Now we take the next step and invest in electrified distribution in a whole region – to really make a difference. On top of that, we gain valuable knowledge on electrified operations both in urban areas with many starts and stops, and in rural areas with distances more than 300 kilometres,” says Viktor Strömblad, Head of Land pa DB Schenker.

Hyzon fuel cell electric trucks will join the DB Schenker fleet Gotland’s next year. size is favourable for electrif ying transports.

“What DB Schenker does at Gotland, with a fossil-free

52 | Truck & Driver

system solution in a unique environment teaches us a lot about the challenges and possibilities that occur when a complete distribution centre is electrified. Going forward, we see the same potential for DB Schenker’s international truck fleet,” says Evalena Falck, Scania Sales Director, Strategic Account Management.

A FUSO eCanter and a Mercedes-Benz eActros were on site during our visit to DB Schenker’s depot in Frankfurt. The eCanter is regularly driven by Alexander Tamaj who has now gained five years’ experience in electric trucks.

He says the electric driving experience has been fun, not only due to its smooth acceleration and quiet operation.

“The best thing was how people reacted to this truck, especially five years ago when it was new,” says Alexander.

“People have wanted to learn about the truck and our customers are also very interested.”

The Mercedes-Benz eActros 300 had made the 400km trip from Leipzig to Frankfurt with driver Georg stopping once to recharge.

Fitted with an aerodynamic box body by SPIER, the eActros can operate at up to 19 tonnes.

“When I left [Leipzig] my gauge said the range was 362km.

The range varies with topography, speed, recuperation and the load and I had to stop once,” Georg says.

“I recharged from 60% to 96% in 50 minutes. I had to take a 45 minute break anyway.”

He says the eActros encourages efficient driving.

“As a driver I am looking to get as much back from the braking [regeneration] as possible. A very good diesel truck driver has to do the same thing, look and plan well ahead.

“It’s smooth and quiet but I do miss the sound of an engine.”

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An electric and autonomous container feeder vessel is under development for use in Norway.

electric and hydrogen fuel cell trucks as being a positive in attracting younger drivers to the industry and making it a more attractive career choice. It’s estimated that Europe is presently short of 100,000 drivers.

But making trucks run sustainably on Europe’s city streets and highway s is only part of the DB Schenker sustainability solution.

“When you think about air freight and ocean freight it’s more about sustainable fuels at the moment. The big innovations are not there yet but we are offsetting by using sustainable aviation fuels and biofuels,” Andrea says.

Air freight currently represents about 2% of all global greenhouse emissions.

In a pilot programme with Lufthansa, DB Schenker is offering carbon neutral air freight using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

SAF refers to sustainable, synthetic kerosene. It is currently produced mainly from biomass, for example from sustainable or recyclable vegetable and cooking oils.

In future, non-plant-based renewable fuels will also be available.

During combustion in the engine, only CO2 is released that was previously removed from the atmosphere, for example during plant growth. SAF is thus the first real alternative to fossil aviation fuel and the key to climate-friendly, CO2neutral air traffic.

In addition to the use of more efficient, latest-generation aircraft, SAF is among the most effective levers on the path to a CO2-neutral aviation industry.

“In the long range our ambition is the production of e-fuels out of sustainable electricity. This is the future,” Goeman says.

The best-known production process for this is the socalled power-to-liquid concept (PtL) based on renewable TD32960

up

electricity, water, and CO2. While PtL production quantities are still very limited, biomass-based SAF is an already available and well-tested fuel today.

Another unique sustainability project involving DB Schenker and partners is an innovative fully electric and zero-emission coastal container vessel which will operate in Norway.

Having recently signed a pre-study agreement, DB Schenker, and its partners – the furniture giant Ekornes and vessel designers Naval Dynamics, in addition to KONGSBERG and Massterly – will develop a vessel that is the first of its kind in the world.

The new autonomous and electric, short-sea container feeder leverages Naval Dynamics’ NDS AutoBarge 250 concept that was developed in partnership with KONGSBERG and Massterly.

The vessel will operate between Ekornes’ own port, Ikornnes, and the port of Alesund, which serves the main ocean freight ports in Europe.

The 43km journey will be completed within three hours, at a speed of 7.7 knots. The vessel will be 50 meters long and will be able to carry 300 deadweight tons of cargo.

It is designed from the keel up for autonomous and zeroemission operation. It will run without a crew but will be monitored and controlled by staff at Massterly’s Remote Operation Centre (ROC), whose team members include certified navigators and naval engineers.

Andrea Goeman says DB Schenker’s philosophy is that it “wants to be leading” in the sustainability race. She evaluates it current position in the transformation as “on the way”.

“Our plan is underway but there is a long way to go maybe we are one per cent there. There is a long way to go and we have to go with our customers and our suppliers to move away from fossil fuels,” she says. T&D Truck & Driver | 55

LEGENDS

Special K – Peter Richmond

T

O MANY, THIS MONTH’S SOUTHPAC LEGEND NEEDS LITTLE by way of introduction.

With his `Farmer K’ nickname, ‘been there-done that’ breadth of experience and 50 years behind the wheel, this incredibly hard-working trucker retains an unquenchable enthusiasm for the industry. Yes, Peter Richmond is very special indeed.

Peter’s ‘Farmer K’ nickname was given to him by another industry legend, Cliff `Snowman’ Guy. “It comes from my days at Total Transport. I used to wear a towelling cap and drove a Kenworth. Snowman said I looked like a farmer, so started calling me `Farmer K’,” says Peter.

This moniker has even more relevance when you discover where Peter has come from and more importantly, what he could have been.

“I was born and bred on a sheep and cattle station in Hawke’s Bay at a place called Raukawa. My father wanted me to be a doctor or a lawyer and then later a shepherd, but I was never remotely interested in any of that. I always had a passion for machinery.”

Peter says his passion was initially with the tractors and stuff on

56 | Truck & Driver

the farm; “Crawler tractors and disking, all that type of thing.” But then unfortunately his brother got killed on the farm which pushed him towards academia - but not for long.

“I never liked school, I just wanted to get out there and work,” Peter says.

And work is what he did. Leaving school, his first role was working for a local hay baling contractor and that’s where Peter got his first introduction to trucks.

“They had an old Bedford truck, but I had to get a licence for the job. In those days, with the country cop, you only had to drive around the block and answer a few questions and you were away.

So, I got a heavy traffic and car licence at the age of 18.”

Recalling carting hay over the old Napier-Taihape Road, Peter says that in late 1960s the road was much narrower and twistier, with grass growing up the middle in parts.

“The cambers on the road were so deep that when you went around the corner the deck would rub on the wheels at the back, so there was smoke coming off the back. Geez that would slow you down,” says Peter, jokingly suggesting the Bedford had the best retarding system of anything he’s ever driven.

From there, Peter went to work with his father and uncle

“doing a farming thing” in Raukawa They tried to get him to be a shepherd; “riding horses and having sheepdogs and things.” But that didn’t work.

“I wasn’t cut out to be a shepherd. I was more interested in the trucks that came to pick the stock up.”

Peter convinced his father to get a truck for the farm. It was a petrol Commer with no mod cons, not even power steering.

“It used lots and lots of petrol, something you wouldn’t want now.”

The Commer was more of a dump truck, so Peter began carting shingle for the tracks, expanding his skills while cementing his love for driving. “I enjoyed driving the truck, being by myself and moving around,” he says.

Keen to do more than shift shingle, Peter applied for a Goods licence, which was a real battle in those days.

“You had to prove that you weren’t taking work off other carriers and that there was a need for my services. But I luckily got one through a transfer and I started carting a lot of red metal for farmers around the district.”

From there his business expanded, including carting peas from the paddock to the factory and carrying dirt for the local council.

Then he set his sights further afield.

“I always had a vision of doing the long-distance stuff, rather than just carting dirt from one side of the hill to the other. So, I reached out to an outfit called Reed’s Transport that operated stock trucks down in the Hawkes Bay.” He says that Reed’s were doing long-distance work very early in the deregulation days and he began to do a fair bit of driving with them, carting stock pretty much all over the North Island, and thoroughly enjoying it.

“It was a good challenge. One of the trucks I enjoyed driving the most was the twin-stick F1800 International, 5-speed main/4-speed ancillary. A real challenge to begin with but once you’d mastered it,

it was a beautiful thing to drive.”

From there Peter bought a truck of his own, a 310 MW ERF and started getting work through Nationwide Transport as their only owner/operator, plus doing a bit of work for himself. He says Nationwide’s Alan Powell looked after him pretty well.

Entering what he calls “the golden age of farming” Peter bought a brand new 1977 Kenworth and a 3-axle tip trailer, (a drop side unit), in order to move posts and fertiliser. He also purchased a stock crate and trailer off Maxi Transport so he could cart stock as well.

“I really enjoyed the job there because I always had something to do, different jobs and different places. They had a bulk amount of Fuso’s that were having reliability issues, but my Kenworth never stopped, so I did very well out of Nationwide.”

Unfortunately, about 18-months later “it went pear shaped” so Peter moved to Total Transport for a while, which he says was “very challenging”.

“It was horrendous hours. We didn’t stop much - it was either stock or some other blasted thing.”

Peter reckons that he got a little bit turned around after Total Transport and was going to throw the business in, but thankfully one of his mates wanted him to drive his old White Road Boss.

“He was contracted to Produce Freighters in Hastings. He paid me a good wage, but it wasn’t too long after that the bosses came and asked if I’d be interested in becoming an owner driver there. I said yes.”

According to Peter, it was long hours, but he’d been hardened into that. He bought himself a second hand V8 Mack but wanted to get back into a Kenworth, so worked hard and built up enough money.

“In those days the margins were good, if you wanted to work.”

He wanted a Kenworth Aerodyne and recalls that initially the bosses were against it. “It was a bit too flash,” they told him.

Truck & Driver | 57

However, Peter was adamant.

“A few weeks later the manager of Napier pulled me in and said; `we’ve thought about it and you’re gonna buy it anyway and you’ll go and work for someone else. We don’t want to lose you so you can buy that truck’. I said thank you very much.”

He went ahead and ordered an ‘86 Kenworth, it was the first twin steer Aerodyne in NZ. “I absolutely loved that truck - it was built for the job. It had a proper sleeper and everything in it.”

Peter stayed at Produce Freighters right to the end, when Mainfreight took it over, and then in `97 he moved to Gisborne and started working for Steve Weatherell at Weatherell Transport. His life was now heading in a whole new direction - quite literally.

“Steve said `I’ll tell you something now Peter, I’m not going to send you south (I’d always done Gisborne-south) because you know too many people and you won’t come back’.

“He stuck to his bloody word, and I’ve done 90 per cent to Auckland over the years I’ve been there.”

Peter has been with Weatherell Transport for almost 25 years, and he couldn’t be happier. He’s had numerous trucks with them over the years and has also introduced both of his sons to the business (however his eldest son now drives road trains in Australia).

“My youngest son Billy is an absolute asset to me, and my plan is to give him more and more rope and get him started in the business.”

He credits both of his boys moving into the industry to them riding in the truck with him as kids.

“They would ride along and come to the yard with me. They’d look at things and learn and even do a bit of driving when they

58 | Truck & Driver

shouldn’t. I’m proud to say that both of them are very good operators.”

Peter adds that both sons are mechanically minded too, another thing they get from being around him. He reckons that he’s always been more interested in the grease gun than the polishing rag, saying that if something does go wrong and the truck goes in for repair, he always asks the foreman; “what went wrong and how did you fix it?”

“In the olden days, when I got back to Gisborne on a Friday evening, I’d do a service before I went to sleep. I’ve always tried to keep maintenance a priority.”

With 50 years under his belt, Peter says that he’s seen a tremendous amount of change with all aspects of the industry, but still gets a kick out of it.

“I was never designed to work in a factory or an office, I always like being outside working. You meet a lot of new people, and the biggest percentage are damn good.

“Every day is different in some shape or fashion. I like the variety and the challenges it brings along. It’s been a good journey and I’ve had a few rises and falls but managed to get out of it.

Peter has no plans to throw in the towel just yet but has cut down a bit - although it would appear that this has got more to do with helping out his son.

“I still do a run to Auckland every week and that gives my son Billy time to spend with his family, to give balance. I think that’s important and it’s something we never did.”

He says that although they go to Auckland and back three times a week, he reckons that there is always something different.

“At the moment there are additional potholes that we’ve got to watch out for,” he jokes. T&D

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FEATURE

Daimler Truck launched its eActros Long Haul tractor designed for the 40-tonne work typical in Germany.

By Colin Smith

The future is electric THE OLYMPIC GAMES AND A HOST OF WORLD CUP SPORTING events are a reminder that four years can be a long time in a highly competitive environment.

And four years is plenty of time to gauge substantial change as the world drives into a new era of electrified transportation.

With Covid-19 cancelling the 2020 edition of the biennial IAA Transportation expo in Hanover, Germany, the industry had advanced four years since the 2018 event. It might as well have skipped a generation when the doors opened for the 2022 event on September 19.

More than 1400 exhibitors from 41 countries showed off their latest products and the theme of the show was clear to see.

Hanover 2022 went max-power to communicate that electrification of commercial transport is now on the verge of mainstream status, at least as far as Europe’s most developed markets are concerned.

The top-tier truck makers didn’t just position their battery electric and fuel cell vehicles on the prime positions of their stands to create Hanover headlines. They packed their elaborate displays with alternative power vehicles, provided development and production timelines and had the order books open for early adopter customers.

Nowhere in the vast Hanover Messe complex was this more After a four-year break the crowds returned to the Hanover show to see the latest products from more than 1400 exhibitors.

60 | Truck & Driver

obvious than the Volvo and Daimler Truck stands.

Daimler is fully plugged into an electric future. Only three combustion engine trucks – freshly launched models with low emission engines – appeared on its stand where the existing electric range of Mercedes-Benz eActros and eEconic models and the European debut of the next-gen FUSO eCanter featured alongside prototypes of the eActros Long Haul and GenH2 fuel cell models.

The debut of the eActros Long Haul ranked among the headline makers of the Hanover show. As far as the German market is concerned it fits the 40-tonne 4x2 tractor and semi-trailer criteria that is ubiquitous on German highways by providing a 500km range on a single charge – and an estimated 800km daily range where a driver can fast-charge during their mandatory rest break.

The eActros Long Haul seeks to answer the range and load capacity questions hanging over electric trucks – at least in this European context. Among its features are Megawatt (1000kW) charging capability and the introduction of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery technology as a further step beyond lithium-ion cells.

With 600kWh of battery storage aboard the eActros Long Haul, it’s estimated a Megawatt charger will charge the batteries from 20- 80% in about 30 minutes.

The Long Haul version of the eActros isn’t a mid-or-distant future concept. Public road testing will begin before the end of this year with field evaluation involving key Daimler customers in 2023 and series production scheduled for 2024.

The eActros Long Haul represents an important move for Daimler Truck beyond the light duty FUSO eCanter and the distribution and municipal roles of the eActros and eEconic.

Daimler says in terms of payload, distance and routes that heavy-duty long-haul transport is the most demanding segment in road freight transport to electrify. But the segment also offers great potential to reduce CO2 emissions through electrification.

Along with the 4x2 tractor unit on show in Hanover, Daimler Truck also confirmed there will be a rigid version of the eActros Long Haul. For Europe that’s likely to be a 6x2 truck working with a relatively small trailer.

Above: Daimler Truck sees hydrogen fuel cell technology development gaining pace in the second half of this decade and is exploring the potential of liquid hydrogen with its GenH2 concept truck.

Below: The Volvo stand, including this FM Electric, was fully battery powered without a diesel truck in sight.

Truck & Driver | 61

Energy is life, we all need it, and it’s a source of progress. So today, to contribute to the sustainable development of the planet facing the climate change challenge, we are moving forward, together, towards new energies.

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The launch of the new DAF XD range was accompanied by winning the 2023 International Truck of the Year award.

The GenH2 hydrogen fuel cell truck has a longer lead time with Daimler engineers expecting fuel cell technology to build commercial momentum during the second half of this decade.

Again the target is similar capabilities to a conventional Mercedes-Benz long-haul truck in terms of payload and with a range of about 1000km on a fill of hydrogen.

The payload and range of the Gen H2 is enabled by two 40kg liquid hydrogen tanks, a powerful fuel-cell system comprising two cells of 150kW each and a battery delivering an additional 400kW on demand.

At 70kWh, the storage capacity of the battery is relatively small compared to a battery electric truck. It is not intended to meet all of the energy needs, but to provide situational power support for the fuel cell during peak loads such as acceleration or while being driven fully loaded on uphill sections.

The relatively light battery allows a higher payload and Daimler says it will be recharged from both braking recuperation energy and excess fuel-cell energy.

In the pre-production version, the two electric motors are designed for a total of 2 x 230kW continuous power and 2 x 330kW maximum power output. Peak torque numbers are 2 x 1577Nm and 2 x 2071Nm respectively – clear indicators of its heavy haul capability.

Daimler also signaled further expansion of the eActros 300 range with a new 4x2 tractor model going on sale in the second half of 2023 along with showcasing tipper and refrigerated versions of eActros rigid trucks.

On a smaller scale the next-gen FUSO eCanter made its European debut in Hanover. Multiple eCanters were on show to demonstrate the much expanded choice of wheelbase lengths and three battery capacities along with two cab designs which will allow the eCanter to be used in many more applications than the original.

The diesel focus on the Daimler stand was on the upgraded Actros L powered by the third-generation 12.8-litre OM 471 engine delivering further improved fuel efficiency.

There wasn’t a diesel truck to be seen anywhere on the Volvo

stand. It’s recently expanded Electric FE, FH, FL, FM and FMX ranges for Europe had the floorspace to themselves – apart from the display of the heavy truck hydrogen fuel cell powertrain Volvo is co-developing with Daimler Truck through 50:50 joint ownership of fuel cell pioneer cellcentric.

Volvo Trucks has signalled a three-path strategy to reach zero emissions with its battery electric models supported by fuel cell electric and combustion engines that run on renewable fuels such as biogas, HVO and green hydrogen.

Volvo also unveiled a new, fully electric rear axle in Hanover which will be introduced on future electric models. By integrating the electric motors and the transmission into the rear axle, the e-axle frees up space for more batteries to extend range for Volvo’s electric trucks. It will also be used for fuel cell electric trucks.

Not far away in another hall the DAF approach was a little different, reflecting the recent launch of key models. New in the past year have been the XF, XG and XG+ model lines while the Hanover show was the global debut of the all-new XD truck range.

The debut of the XD was accompanied by its success in the International Truck of Year award.

DAFs focus was on the visibility, comfort and ergonomic benefits of the new cab design and it showed off multiple models – all in acid yellow uniformity – to showcase the versatility of the new X models.

But DAF also played the alternative power hand with battery electric trucks on show.

The DAF XD Electric and DAF XF Electric will become available as both tractor and rigid models and orders were being taken.

The XD and XF Electric have PACCAR e-motors delivering outputs from 170 to 350kW (230 to 480hp) and a combination of up to five modular battery packs to achieve a 500km range.

DAFs electric trucks will be built on a brand-new DAF Electric Truck Assembly production line in Eindhoven starting in 2023.

Moving along to the striking ``Energy Blue” floors of the Iveco display there was a smorgasbord of technologies to view.

Truck & Driver | 63

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Above left: Scania’s electric push includes the R 45 regional haulage truck in 4x2 tractor and 6x2 rigid versions.

Above right: Start-up truck maker Volta had its innovative Zero 16-tonne electric urban distribution truck on show.

Through the collaboration with Nikola, it appears Iveco is well placed to be among the first of the established brands to offer heavy duty hydrogen fuel cell trucks.

At Hanover Nikola announced the opening of orders for the European 4x2 Artic version of the Nikola Tre BEV and also presented a prototype Nikola Tre FCEV in its European 6x2 Artic specification. As a BEV model the Nikola Tre has a range of 500km and the FCEV version has a range of approximately 800km.

The Hanover show also saw the debut of Iveco’s new eDaily, providing zero emissions light commercial transport in a number of van, cab/chassis and minibus formats.

The new eDaily also offers opportunity to install different types of ePTOs up to 15kW that can power refrigeration units, small cranes and for applications such as waste collection.

A partnership with Hyundai also brought the unveiling of a fuel cell variant of the Iveco eDaily using the powertrain derived from

the Korean marque’s NEXO SUV. Described as a working prototype, the eDaily FCEV is equipped with the 90kW hydrogen fuel cell system and 140kW e-motor along with a battery pack by FPT Industrial, the powertrain brand of Iveco Group.

The 7.2-ton GVW prototype has been tested in Europe, confirming a range of 350km, maximum payload of 3t and an estimated refuelling time of 15 minutes.

Iveco says the eDaily BEV is best suited to short journeys and the eDaily FCEV will be ideal for deliveries requiring a longer range and higher payloads.

Traton Group arranged adjoining space for its VW Commercial, Scania and MAN brands. New light commercial versions of the trendy Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo were a common sight shuttling guests around the Hanover Messe complex and there were several special applications unveiled including a paramedic support vehicle, a box-body cargo van and small refrigerated van.

The Quanton QHM range includes battery electric and hydrogen fuel-cell models.

Truck & Driver | 65

From top: The new FUSO eCanter made its European debut... The Mercedes-Benz eActros range now incudes a 4x2 tractor model...

China’s BYD launched the ETH8 19t truck designed for logistics and waste collection ...Scania’s combustion engine focus was on Super models powered by the latest generation 13-litre engine.

Scania’s show line-up also had an overwhelming electric focus with only two vehicles on its indoor display not being full electric.

It also displayed its Megawatt charging solution which it says will allow the new Scania electric regional haul 40t trucks introduced at the show – R and S models with 400kW or 450kW outputs – to run for 4.5 hours at 80km/h and then recharge in 45 minutes.

Scania was another brand which has forecast that 50% of its total vehicle sales volume is expected to be electrified by 2030.

The company also made a pre-show announcement regarding plans to de-carbonise its production and supply chain. It says batteries, steel, aluminium and cast iron materials account for more than 80% of carbon emissions from the supply chain and by 2030 it is targeting an emissions cut in the region of 60-85% in this area of its operations.

The combustion engine focus was on Scania Super models powered by the new generation 13-litre engine. There was a biogas variant and the Euro 6 diesel version fitted with twin-SCR system that is achieving 8% fuel savings for long haul operators in Europe.

Next door at MAN Truck and Bus the focus of attention was a near-production prototype of the new MAN eTruck, which will go into service with the first customers from 2024 supported by a future megawatt charging system to enable heavy-duty long-haul transport with daily ranges from 600-800km.

The other Euro brand with large trucks to show was Ford. It’s headliner was an electric rubbish collection truck concept. Capable of working in 18-26 tonne configurations the concept previews an electric push by the Turkey-based marque is also forecasting 50% of its sales in Europe will be zero-emission trucks by 2030.

Of the Chinese brands it was the BYD (Build Your Dream) marque - recently launched in New Zealand as an electric car brand - that had the biggest profile in Hanover.

BYD is the world’s largest manufacturer of electric vehicles, and its Hanover offerings included the debut of two pure-electric trucks – the ETM6 7.5t urban delivery truck and the ETH8 19t truck designed for logistics and waste collection roles.

The display space was smaller and less elaborate for XCMG, but three trucks made their European debut – the new E5 8x4 electric concrete mixer, the E7 4x2 electric tractor and a larger 6x4 diesel tractor.

The Hyzon display was worth a stopover as it offered the chance to scope the DAF CF-based Hymax hydrogen fuel cell tractor on display along with examples of its fuel cell unit and hydrogen storage tank components. It’s the truck that will participate in New Zealand’s Hiringa Energy, Waitomo Group and TR Group hydrogen trial starting next year.

A newcomer making a big splash was Quantron with its 44t QHM heavy truck available with battery electric and fuel cell powertrains. The Augsburg, Germany-based company is partnering 66 | Truck & Driver

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with Ballard Power Systems for fuel cells and with Allison Transmission for its e-axle solution.

It was the flagship QHM FCEV 44-2000 for heavy long-distance transport that attracted the attention with its claim of a 1500km range. With 56kg of hydrogen storage the truck delivers a 700km range working at 44t while a 122kg hydrogen tank provides the 1500km range.

Quantron’s designers have integrated all of the components, including the hydrogen tanks, within the chassis structure without compromising on dimensions of the ISO directive for semi-trailer combinations.

H2 consumption is optimised by a specially developed intelligent Q-Energy management system to achieve the maximum efficiency in the interaction between e-axle, fuel cell, high-voltage battery and 24V as well as HV auxiliary consumers.

The QHM FCEV uses a pair of Ballard’s FCmove-XD 120kW fuel cells and Quantron says it received more than 250 initial inquiries and the first orders for the vehicle on the opening day of the Hanover show.

Quantron will integrate Ballard fuel cell products for various truck applications in Europe and the US with the initial market focus being Germany for the 44-2000 model. Four FCEV models are planned in cooperation with Ballard Power for 2023.

It wasn’t only the truck makers creating the Hanover headlines.

Battery developers, e-axle manufacturers and fuel cell pioneers displayed technology destined for established firms and new entrants to the market.

In contrast to the expansive stands of the big truck brands Cummins packed its innovation into a minimalist space that

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Above right: Ford showed an electric concept truck for municipal waste collection work.

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Above: The Cummins stand featured diesel, hydrogen, natural gas and fuel cell technology displays.

Bottom left: A hydrogen combustion engine powers this Cummins concept truck.

Bottom right: Chinese brand XCMG gave its 8x4 E5 electric mixer truck its European debut.

reflected the company’s multi-prong approach to new technology.

Displays included the Cummins H2-ICE medium-duty concept truck powered by the B6.7H hydrogen combustion engine and its fourth generation hydrogen fuel cell system.

A display featuring the upcoming “fuel agnostic” version of its next generation 15-litre engine presented the common engine block architecture that will have cylinder heads and fuel systems specifically tailored for different fuels.

The X15H hydrogen engine with direct-injection, lean-burn combustion will be available with ratings from 400-530hp (298-395kW) and a peak torque of 2600Nm. Running on green hydrogen fuel, the X15H will be able to offer a truck operating range of over 1000km in combination with a 700-bar pressure high-capacity fuel storage system. H2-ICE powered heavy-duty trucks will be able to fully refuel in just 15 minutes.

For truck applications powered by renewable biogas, the X15N will offer ratings extending from 400-510hp (298-380kW) with peak torque of 2500Nm. Using an LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) high-storage capacity

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system, a heavy-duty tractor is capable of achieving a range of over 1000km.

The X15H uses carbon-free hydrogen and the X15N is fuelled with biogas offering up to 90% carbon reduction.

The X15 advanced diesel can use either sustainable HVO fuel or B100 biodiesel with ratings up to 650hp (485kW) with an impressive 3200Nm of torque for demanding heavy duty-cycles.

Using B100 biodiesel enables up to a 70% reduction in carbon and using HVO renewable fuel achieves up to 90%.

Cummins also displayed a new X10 engine ready for anticipated Euro VII ultra-low emission levels. Across a 320-450hp (240335kW) ratings range, the X10 is equipped with the new HeavyDuty Compact Cross (HDCC) aftertreatment system developed by Cummins for enhanced emissions reduction.

HDCC is a modular system incorporating dual-SCR (selective catalytic reduction) together with a twin-dosing system for precision injection of the AdBlue emissions reduction fluid into the exhaust gas, at both upstream and downstream positions.

The X10 design incorporates a similar fuel-agnostic capability

Truck & Driver | 69

3:00 PM

Left: Scania showed off the driveline of its fuel-efficient 13-litre models while DAF (right) had displays to highlight the spacious cab design and visibility of its new generation models.

to that of X15, with the potential to offer hydrogen and biogas versions. A key design feature of the new X Series platform is a Double-Overhead-Camshaft (DOHC) allowing significant advances in combustion and thermal efficiency. Friction losses across the engine design have also been reduced and a sculpted block contributes to weight saving. The DOHC design also enables a more efficient integral engine brake to be accommodated.

The X10 features the latest evolution of Cummins XPI fuel system with extra-high pressure injection and a new electronic wastegate turbocharger enabling fuel savings of up to 7% compared to equivalent Euro VI engines.

Heavy-duty performance is also reflected with a peak torque of 2300Nm, improving engine response and vehicle drivability.

Cummins also displayed its fourth-generation fuel cell at IAA which achieves improved power density, efficiency and durability while delivering zero greenhouse gas and zero criteria air emissions.

In common with the likes of Hyundai, cellcentric and Ballard there is modular approach to fuel cell design by Cummins.

It’s new system can be configured in single 135kW and dual 270kW module versions to suit both medium- and heavy-duty applications.

The Hanover event was also the first opportunity for Cummins to include Meritor products in a major tradeshow display and showcase how the axle and brake components will be integrated with Cummins powertrain solutions across internal combustion and electric power applications.

Meritor’s 17Xe ePowertrain assembled with a Cummins battery

system was on show. The 17Xe is designed for heavy-duty trucks in the 4x2 and 6x2 segment, with capacity to support 44t GVW, or more in some applications.

The assembly also features a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack, a new arrival to Cummins’ battery line-up.

There was a wide range of e-axle products on show in Hanover with ZF and Allison also among the important players in this segment.

The e-axle will play an important role in the electrification of heavy transport as it integrates electric motors, energy recuperation and transmission roles in a single unit which then allows more flexibility in vehicle design by eliminating a central propshaft.

There is also potential for e-axles to play an important role as the industry looks beyond Europe and the 40-44t targets that were being aimed at in Hanover.

Integration of e-axles into trailers to recuperate additional energy and provide a hybrid-like “boost” when required – and extending the range of battery electric trucks – is likely to play a role as heavier vehicles and longer distances become the target of electrification.

Dates have already been announced for IAA Transportation 2024 which will take place again in Hanover from September 17 to 22.

At the pace of development even the return to a biennial expo cycle should deliver another blitz of technology in 2024. And likely some more answers around the electrification of the longer range and heavier roles. T&D

Hyzon (left) and Nikola (right) are at the forefront of hydrogen fuel cell electric truck development in Europe.

Truck & Driver | 71

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FEATURE

Glyn Tyler-Davies, pictured with his wife Noleine, is among the 2022 New Zealand Road Transport Hall of Fame inductees.

The Class of 2022 The membership of the Mobil 1 Delvac NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame has surpassed 60 with the naming of six new inductees at the 2022 event held in Invercargill on September 30.

The inaugural Hall of Fame was held in 2012 and after being staged in a digital format amid the COVID pandemic in 2021, this year saw the welcome return of the in-person gala dinner attended by 450 guests at Bill Richardson Transport World.

Every year, six new members are inducted into the Hall of Fame, which honours their outstanding contributions to the national road transport industry. This year’s six inductees were selected to take their place alongside 57 of the most ONE OF SIX CHILDREN, DAVID CONROY WAS BORN IN NAPIER IN 1951.

David had a strong work ethic and from an early age spent school holidays at McDonald’s Transport yard, a local rural transport company, which cemented his interest in the road transport industry.

David left school at 15 years of age and commenced work for a merchant, Ethridge’s. For David, there was no time to sit still, and a spare lunch hour could be used to earn more money by mowing lawns.

David’s interest in road transport led him to start driving trucks for one of Napier’s characters, Hughie McAllister, over the Napier-Taupo road in the late 60s, which was a good grounding on things not to do in your own business.

This was followed by driving for Nihill Bridgemen Croad based out of Hastings, carting livestock, metal, and timber. This took him all over the North Island and, with the late Matt Purvis being the dispatcher, there was always opportunity to do plenty of hours. Not afraid of hard work, David put aside extra money earned for future opportunities.

At 21 years of age, and keen to do something for himself. He approached a local furniture removalist Bill Griffin and, with some financial support from his mother, David purchased a business with one petrol powered D-series Ford.

Conroy Removals was founded in 1972, based out of Napier with one truck. David Conroy was transporting household furniture all over New Zealand, and 18 months later another truck and one VA (Vehicle Authority) were purchased off Ivan Palleson from Hastings.

At this time, David’s brother Gary joined the business as a partner and drove the second truck. Gary has since retired and remains a shareholder in the business. In the early days, their mother looked after the administration and phones while the boys covered the country in

respected names within the industry previously named into the Hall of Fame.

The Class of 2022 comprises David Conroy (Hawke’s Bay), John Frew (Canterbury), Wayne McCurdy (Taranaki), Sam McRae (Southland), Ian Patchell (Rotorua) and Glyn Tyler-Davies (Auckland). It’s another diverse group which has played significant roles across the industry, from civil contracting to furniture removals, rural haulage, engineering and trailer manufacturing.

The 2023 function to celebrate the next group of Hall of Fame inductees will take place on Friday September 29 2023.

their trucks.

As the business grew, a branch network was established, initially in Auckland, followed by Wellington, Christchurch, Tauranga, Nelson, and Cromwell.

In the late `90s, there was a desire to have a presence in Australia, so a three-truck business was purchased in Brisbane followed by Townsville, Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth.

David always had an absolute passion for the wider transport industry, serving on the RTA at a local branch level and at a regional level on the CARTA executive.

He also served on the New Zealand Overseas Movers Association, building long-standing relationships and networking with overseas removal partners which has helped grow the international part of the business.

David has always had a focus on supporting and sponsoring community activities in local areas as it is his way of thanking people that have supported Conroy’s over many years.

With Conroy’s now in its 50th year of business with around 350 staff and 12 branches in New Zealand and Australia, this is a testament of David’s passion and interest in people and the wider transport industry.

David is still actively involved in the day-to-day operations of Conroy Removals Business ensuring the team maintain a “can do” attitude and provide the customer service he is proud of.

John Frew began working in the haulage and transport industry in 1928 at the age of 18.

His father Edgar, was a 50% owner of McCrostie and Frew which operated in Greendale using a McLaren traction engine hauling bagged grain to the railheads at Northwood north of Dunsandel on the Main Truck & Driver | 73

John Frew

competent engineer building livestock crates, bulk lime spreader hoppers and elevators for transferring bales of hay from truck deck to hay shed. He also built Frews first bulk twoaxle tip trailer to cart coal, grain and super phosphate.

But it wasn’t all work and no play for John. He played senior cricket for Darfield and Greendale; was a keen, if somewhat unlucky, salmon and trout fisher and duckshooter. In the 1960s he was elected to the Darfield Advisory Township Committee, with responsibility for setting local body rates for the township and advising the Malvern County Council on infrastructure works requirements.

He was also a charter member of the Malvern Lions Club established in 1971.

The 1970s was a time of expansion for Frews with the purchase of transport companies in Sheffield and Oxford followed by diversification into demolition and contracting work in Christchurch. The size of the fleet expanded from 10 vehicles to nearly 50 leading to its centennial celebration in 2021.

By the mid-1960s, John’s three sons, Evan, Mervyn and Owen were all working in different roles in the company. In the background John was there to give wise guidance and encouragement.

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Trunk Line and to Darfield on the Midland line.

In November 1930 John bought his first truck, a five-tonne second-hand Republic, and John and Edgar began trading as EH Frew. This name was necessary because John was still a minor so could not legally operate a cheque account to pay for goods and services. The traction engine was sold the following year.

In 1933, at the first Transport Licensing hearing in Christchurch, John was granted a General Goods Service Licence. He immediately appealed against the restrictions imposed and so began a working lifetime of fighting for

more licensing rights.

The Frew’s fleet of two trucks was increased with the purchase in 1935 of another Greendale carrier’s truck. This truck had a sheep crate with a drop-down second deck so cattle could be carted. Frews now began to service the weekly Addington livestock and cart fat lambs to the Islington freezing works.

John was a foundation member of the Malvern Branch of the New Zealand Road Transport Alliance formed in Darfield in November 1936. In 1940, as chairman of the branch, he was instrumental in opposing the wartime Government-forced amalgamation of about 10 local transport companies in the Malvern and Selwyn Counties. Instead, the branch formed a Goods Service Control Committee, with John as chairman, to allocate the supply of tyres and fuel, and organise cartage work until the end of the war.

Shortly after the war ended, Frews purchased Rae Bros Transport and moved from Greendale to Darfield to be in the centre of the Malvern County. The company’s name changed after the war to Frew’s Motors Ltd and again in the early 1960s to Frew’s Transport Ltd. During his working life John did everything necessary to keep trucks rolling – driving, servicing and mechanical repairs. He was a

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In 1992, in recognition of service to the transport industry for over 45 years, John Frew, then aged 82, was awarded Life Membership of the Christchurch Branch of the NZ Road Transport Alliance.

Wayne McCurdy was born in New Plymouth in June 1950 to Jim and Barbara McCurdy.

McCurdy Engineering was established in 1961 by Wayne’s parents in their home garage on South Road, New Plymouth. In 1965, the company was officially formed and moved into a purpose-built engineering workshop on Barrett Road.

Wayne joined the team in 1972 after qualifying as a fitter and turner with the Taranaki Harbour Board. The work in those days was mainly repairing and fabricating agricultural equipment for local farmers and contractors around the area.

As the company grew it expanded into body building, crane mounting and chassis alterations. Around this time, Wayne joined the Institute of Road Transport Engineers and the Truck & Trailer Manufacturing Association of which McCurdy’s are still members.

With an ambition to expand the business further, Wayne took over the reins in 1987 and signed up with Titans as a service dealership, and picked up the Volvo truck and

construction franchise. In 1990 the company moved into new premises on Devon Road.

Southpac Trucks approached Wayne, giving the newly formed Auckland business a foot in the door in the Taranaki region. Having the Volvo franchise for Taranaki meant McCurdy’s could support Fonterra (or Kiwi Dairies as it was originally known). Eventually Titans was taken over by Truckstops, bringing Hino and Mack with them.

In 2011 Wayne and wife Frances purchased another established Taranaki automotive business, Moller Johnson Isuzu, with workshops in Hawera and Bell Block, meaning the McCurdy’s now offered Taranaki-wide coverage for the heavy transport industry.

McCurdy Engineering and Moller Johnson integrated in 2017 and rebranded as McCurdy Trucks. In late 2019, McCurdy Trucks opened a purpose-built truck and trailer repair facility with a specialist 10-bay service workshop, 8-bay engineering and fabrication workshop, showroom and expanded parts warehouse at their upgraded premises in New Plymouth.

Wayne has always been an active contributor to most transport organisations including TTMF, RTA, NZ Heavy Wheel Aligner Association and is still a member of the MTA Heavy Transport Committee. Wayne has also

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Ian Patchell served on Government committees developing rules and opportunities for private truck workshops to carry out COF inspections.

In 2000, Wayne’s son Paul joined the company as an engineer, making it three generations of McCurdy engineers. Paul has since become manager of the company following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps however Wayne still keeps a close eye on things - he still turns up daily to add input into the parts, service, sales and engineering departments, just the hours vary!

McCurdy’s now employ around 60 staff within their parts, service and engineering workshop, sales and admin departments.

Wayne is also proud to now have a fourth generation McCurdy working in the business.

It is fair to say the wheels of Taranaki would have crawled to a halt years ago without

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Wayne and McCurdy’s 60 odd years of support to the industry.

In 1932, Sam McRae sold his Chev car to purchase a truck.

Prior to that, Sam had worked on farms and in the mines. Sam and his wife Helen began with a very old truck but were soon able to buy a new Bedford for 300 pounds. In 1936 they purchased the businesses of James Grant and TE Duncan, who were both based in Nightcaps. Not long after, they purchased the business of Eric James of Aparima and Des McGrath of Wreys Bush.

Much of the original work involved the cartage of coal from the local mines supplemented with cartage of sheep and lambs during the season.

The business grew and expanded the area they served to include Aparima, Orawia, Ohai, Birchwood, South Hillend and Opio. The fleet increased to meet demand and some purchases were second-hand.

In the mid-1940s, a unit to sow lime and fertiliser was purchased and fitted to a D40 International. The business operated a variety of trucks including REO, GMC, Bedford, International, Commer, Leyland, Ford V8 and the work now included hay, tiles, freight and bagged super, lime and grain. The company didn’t own a trailer until it purchased a D Series Ford.

In 1945, when his brother John arrived home from the war, Sam offered him a part in the business, hence the name S&J McRae. Shortly after, he set up Ohai Freight with John and friend, Bob Nisbet. In 1953, Sam joined Terry Gilligan to purchase Terry’s father Barney’s business in Mossburn which formed into Te Anau Transport.

Sam and Terry joined George Hedley, Cliff Bennetts and John Davies to form Northern Southland Transport. Sam also operated Heddon Bush Transport and was one of three original directors of Central Fertiliser Company which was set up to operate the bulk fertiliser store at Lady Barkly.

When licencing rules changed, Sam is believed to have been the first in Southland to obtain a Vehicle Authority. He also transported the first building around the lake to Queenstown on the back of a truck.

Sam served his community in many ways. He was not a committee person - he said he did not have time for committees as a business, a wife and three daughters kept him very busy – but he was always Frances and Wayne McCurdy

76 | Truck & Driver

David Conroy (left) pictured with his brother Gary. working for local clubs and organisations by providing machinery or carrying goods for example, soil for local parks or horses for the pony club.

It was a testament to his service that, when he died, he was a life member of seven clubs including the local Rugby Club, Golf Club, Pony Club, Swimming Club, Birchwood Hunt Club and Wairio Trotting Club. He was also made a Justice of the Peace.

Sam’s biggest pastime was his love of horses, a passion his daughters inherited and they spent many happy years involved in the equestrian world. On fine days in the summer, Sam and Helen would toot the horn on the truck outside their home and children would come from blocks away to get a ride over on the back of the truck to the river for a swim.

Sam always fought for the underdog, was a man of principles and an anonymous benefactor to many.

Ian Patchell was born in 1949 and grew up on the family farm at Ngakuru near Rotorua.

He spent his formative years working for his father on the farm and developed the entrepreneurial spirit that would play such a big part in his life.

Aged 12, Ian was employing his own crew picking up hay bales and driving his father’s truck to transport them. Welding was first learned by repairing a broken Bakelite wheel on his cast-iron toy truck using a magnifying glass and the sun as a make-shift welder to weld it back together.

Ian left school at the age of 17 and, after various jobs in Rotorua, left in 1969 to pursue a career as a boilermaker at Kinleith Mills in Tokoroa, establishing himself as one of the top boilermakers in the country. To this day, Ian still takes pride in the skill and craft of being a boilermaker and will often describe himself as one.

In 1972 Ian returned to Rotorua and started a small engineering workshop in View Road, initially focusing on the repair and manufacture of attachments for bulldozers, loader equipment, and repairing log transport equipment for local contractors.

In the early 80s, after repairing repeated failures in other manufacturer’s trailers, a collaboration by Patchell with transport company owners and customers from Rotorua, Kawerau, Tokoroa, Taupo and Napier, Patchell produced some most innovative light tare trailers of that time, utilising high-strength materials now used by most other manufacturers today.

In 1986 Ian fitted the first onboard weigh systems into log transport equipment and in 1995 formed the well-known NZ onboard weigh system company SI-Lodec, further advancing the transport industry and Patchell’s reputation for ground-breaking innovation.

By manufacturing its own on-and off-highway logging trailers and inforest tracked log loaders and attachments with an emphasis on quality, design and service, Patchell became a leader in New Zealand transport equipment manufacture.

In 2004, Patchell added a stainless tank manufacturing division and, in 2005, procured the highly regarded Swinglift container side loader.

With this depth of practical experience, excellence in engineering design, production and manufacture and commitment to “getting it right

Sam McRae containers and passed the mantel on to his nephew Graham.

Over the years Glyn and his wife Noleine attended some 29 consecutive conferences and made a huge number of lifelong friends and contacts all around the country. They made a conference comeback in 1999, the year they won the BNZ Road Transport Business of the Year award.

Glyn sold the Transport and Civil Engineering business to Graham and Bob Grove in 2004 through a management buyout and retained the yards and other property assets. At the time the fleet consisted of 80 heavy vehicles and 55 items of mobile plant.

Since retiring from road transport, Glyn has actively developed and maintained his commercial property interests and is a landlord to a number of transport operators and fleet service specialists.

Glyn and Noleine have three children who work in local government, software design and commercial construction administration, plus six grandchildren and now a great-grandson. T&D

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first time”, Patchell was in a unique position to meet challenges from the container, log trailer and liquid food-grade stainless tank trailer environments for years ahead.

Ian is a founding member of the NZ Log Transport Safety Council. In 2007, he was sworn in as a Justice of the Peace and, in 2019, took out ‘Businessman of the Year’ at the Rotorua Business Awards. In 2020 he was inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ at his old alma mater, Rotorua Boys High.

In 1991, Ian Patchell made a mandate to retain an annual count of at least 10% of the company’s labour force in apprenticeships, retaining their level of quality tradespeople and workmanship. In 2014, with the implementation of automation, Patchell produced the first of six robots to work in its production.

Launching this year is the Rotorua Boys High School Engineering Trades Academy, a Patchell Group partnership reconnecting Ian with his school and bringing to fruition Ian’s vision of delivering highly skilled tradesmen.

Five decades later, the Patchell Group is among Rotorua’s largest employers. Ian is quick to acknowledge the hard work and skills of the team he has built around him. He prides himself on employing many of the best in the business and whether they remain at the company or not they remain `Patchell People’ and he is immensely proud of them all.

Ian is still active in the business and is often seen in his workshops running the practised eye of an ageless ‘Boilermaker’ over the products his companies produce.

Glyn Tyler-Davies was born in Warkworth in 1940 and lived at the yard next to the rail head at Kaipara Flats until around 1954, when the family moved to Orewa.

After attending boarding school at Mt Albert Grammar, Glyn went to work in admin at Tasman Pulp and Paper, before joining the family business, Smith and Davies, in 1958. At 18 years old he got his heavy traffic licence and started driving a 953 OLB Bedford tipper.

In 1966, with the construction of the Auckland Harbour Bridge, Smith & Davies moved to premises in Northcote where Glyn steered the company into contracting, with earth-moving and bulk metal cartage becoming the core of the business. He began to apply his philosophy to the business, one he sticks with today; “go after jobs that are different: cart rock, cart scrap steel, do the harder-type work – there’s money in it.”

Under Glyn’s direction, Smith & Davies’ first major contracting job involved all the earthworks for Auckland’s first shopping mall, Lynn Mall in New Lynn. About the same time the company bought the first of many Mercedes – a little 1418.

By 2000, Smith and Davies had over 60 trucks, all Mercedes.

The company reaped the benefits of a one-make fleet being familiarity and a stock of interchangeable spare parts in the workshop.

In 1970, Smith & Davies added log transport to their operation beginning a 29-year relationship with Carter Holt Harvey. In early 1980 the company purchased additional land in Albany which was developed into commercial units. Eventually the company was working in some way on just about every major construction project in Auckland including the Manukau wastewater treatment scheme, northern motorway extensions and the removal of contaminated landfill.

A successful diversification of the business was dredging work, making mud-crete for the America’s Cup, reclaiming land at the waterfront for Fletchers and stabilising mud at the Bayswater marina.

Glyn was an active committee member of the Auckland Regional Transport Authority from the late 1960’s through to the mid 1990’s, when he was finally exhausted talking about

www.trucksigns.co.nz Truck & Driver | 77

FEATURE

The crowd gathers to hear the announcement of the Star of the Show award.

ALEXANDRA BLOSSOMS

Story and photos: David Kinch

THE TRUCKING LANDSCAPE IN NEW ZEALAND IS FOREVER changing, and, with the recent acquisition of Summerland Express Freight, the opportunity to become the major sponsor and organiser of the Alexandra Truck Show on September 24 was a great chance for the team at Booth’s Transport to connect with the people of Central Otago.

Organising a truck show is no easy task, but with a great team of people organising prizes and working out the logistics of getting drivers and trucks down to the deep south, the Booth’s team pulled it together nicely as the truck show celebrated its 40th year.

With an early start on Saturday morning some of the drivers chose to get in early and park their trucks at the Fulton Hogan yard in Alexandra, which was the venue for the show. Many were cleaning and polishing well into the night.

Once the entrants for the Show & Shine started rolling in on Saturday it was very evident the drivers had put a lot of work into their rides and the competition for the “Star of the Show” award 78 | Truck & Driver

was going to be a tough one. Even though the numbers were down on previous years, the judges had a difficult job ahead.

The Booth’s barbeque crew was busy cooking sausages and playing music (which added some much-needed atmosphere) and drivers caught up with one another until the judges announced the Booth’s Transport K200 Kenworth (in Summerland colours) driven by Ricky Rodgers from Melx Linehaul Ltd was the “Star of the Show”. The Kenworth had the honour of leading the trucks through the streets of Alexandra as part of the Blossom Festival parade.

In my opinion the truck show needs to take advantage of the amount of people already in Alexandra for the annual Blossom Festival celebrations. This would be a great chance to promote the industry in many ways and I’m sure with the involvement of the Booth family this will be achieved.

Next year’s 41st annual Blossom Festival Truck Parade will take place on Saturday September 23. T&D

Above: The Best Fleet prize was won by the combined Booth’s Group brands - Booth’s Transport, Summerland Express Freight and Tomoana Warehousing.

Below: Rob Jeffery from RT Southern Linehaul won the best Kenworth with his K200 (right).

Truck & Driver | 79

The S 730 of Blair Boyd doubled up with Best Scania and Best Bling prizes.

Winners of the 2022 Blossom Festival Truck Show and Parade.

STAR OF THE SHOW – Booths Transport Ltd (Ricky from Melx Linehaul Ltd) BEST PRESENTED FLEET – Booths Transport Ltd

BEST PRESENTED DAF – Move Logistics BEST PRESENTED SCANIA – Booths Transport Ltd (Blair Boyd)

BEST PRESENTED MACK – Booths SL Ltd

BEST PRESENTED MERCEDES – Mainfreight (Dave from Searles Transport)

BEST PRESENTED HINO – R N R Hiab’s Ltd

BEST PRESENTED STOCK FLEET – Becker’s Transport Ltd

BEST PRESENTED VOLVO – Ranfurly Transport Ltd BEST PRESENTED RECOVERY TRUCK – Jones Contracting

BEST PRESENTED TRACTOR UNIT – Booths Transport SL (Robert from BCB Contracting)

BEST PRESENTED MAN – Move Logistics

BEST PRESENTED FREIGHTLINER – Halls

BEST PRESENTED WESTERN STAR – Booths SL Ltd

BEST LIGHT COMMERCIAL – All Waste

BEST PRESENTED INTERNATIONAL – Blue Diamond Haulage

BEST PRESENTED TRUCK PRE 1995 – Eden Haulage

BEST PRESENTED FURNITURE TRUCK – Prices

BEST CURTAINER SIDER – Booths Transport Ltd

BEST PRESENTED NISSAN – Clyde Hiabs

BEST BLING – Booths Transport Ltd (Blair Boyd)

BEST PRESENTED ISUZU – Bascik Transport

FURTHEREST TRAVELLED – Booths Transport Ltd (Willie Crown)

BEST PRESENTED KENWORTH – Bascik Transport (Rob from RT Southern Linehaul)

The Star of the Show leading the trucks in the Alexanda Blossom Parade was Ricky Rodgers’ new Kenworth K200.

80 | Truck & Driver

FEATURE

A driver introduction tour of the track at Manfeild, in classic Red Egan style – sitting on a deck chair on the back of his V8 Mitsi racer.... daughter Danielle on his lap.

red roars off ...but rep lives on Story: Wayne Munro Photos: Euan Cameron & the late Graham Blow ONE OF NEW ZEALAND TRUCK RACING’S MOST COLOURFUL characters, Bill (Red) Egan, has died.

He passed away at home in Kumeu in mid-September at the age of 72 – having continued to work in the road transport industry right up till the day before his death, despite serious health issues.

Red, formerly the longtime owner of Auckland-based Kirk’s Towing, had run vehicle testing stations in West Auckland through the later stages of his life.

Bill is survived by wife Reo, grand-daughter Carys and daughter Danielle, who told his funeral service that there are “so many stories about Dad that start with: ‘I first met Red when he towed my car from….’ (such and such a place.”)

But the hard-case, hard-drinking Egan was arguably best known in the industry for his truck racing exploits – following his declared approach: “We’re not here for a long time…..we’re here for a good time.”

His race team wasn’t so much a low-budget operation, he

reckoned – it was, plain and simple, a “a no-bucks budget” outfit….“always short of money.”

Uniquely, his first race truck – a V8 Mitsubishi Fuso T-Series – was built as a class project by students at Auckland’s Carrington Polytech, where he was a tutor at the time.

Some of the same motor mechanic students went on to crew on Red’s race team – and helped him continue to develop (and race) the Mitsi.

In the Mitsi’s second year of racing (in 1991), he scored a race victory – and proudly proclaimed it was the world’s first win for a Japanese race truck: “No-one could ever take that away from me.” (It wasn’t a gimme: He had to beat Nissan Diesel racer Rusty Hawker to achieve that honour).

Bill made his truck racing debut in ’89 (at the very start of the sport in NZ), sharing the driving of an International R190 owned by mate Harry Thompson. After building the Mitsi he finished thirdequal in the B-Grade division of the NZ Truck Race Championship in 1991 and later scored race wins in the ex-Denny Hulme Scania Truck & Driver | 81

T143.

But it was his off-track “achievements” that brought him much more fame/infamy: At the end of the 1992 season, for instance, the Trevor Woolston-led promoters awarded him a host of “honours” for some memorable Red Egan moments.

The Tattooed Tits Award was for dancing topless (and occasionally only in his Y-fronts and socks!) at the Timaru aftermatch function – inviting everyone (who dared) to autograph his chest.

He also won The Y-Front Collection of the Year Award – for having his wardrobe of old-school Jockeys hanging on a washing line outside his tent in the very public Timaru pits. Formula One this was not!

Timaru club exec Karen Paddon and ex-CVIU cop Brian Locke (who joined in the truck race fun with pretend cop car chases to entertain the big crowds) also recall Red’s old-school undies.

Paddon, who says Red “made this world a better place” and that she’ll never forget him, adds: “I will also never forget going through your overnight bag looking for your race licence – and having to sort through all your knickers before I found it.”

Lockie also remembers the undies on the clothesline. In fact, he says: “I still have shudders from the memory….”

And multiple NZ truck race champ Ron Salter reckons, laughing, that Bill “clearly didn’t have any Janola!”

That year, Red also won The White Door Award – for his dancing with a door (at the Timaru after-party).

Maybe he saved his best for Timaru’s Levels Raceway: After news of his death was posted on Facebook , one commenter recalled how Red had once used the short-track option during a race – turning off the main straight and cutting short a third of the track or more.

But best mate/team-mate Les Plenzler reckons it wasn’t just a

82 | Truck & Driver

Timaru trick: “Oh he was taking those shortcuts on every track… when he could. It obviously confused the announcers a bit because, all of a sudden, he’s in front! Ahead of the fast boys!”

Red’s style of doing things was to the fore when, in ’92, he sent out sponsorship proposals – targeting a lot of Mitsi dealers and workshops – with what he brazenly termed “a new system of me relieving you of some money so I can race my Mitsubishi race truck.”

For “a small donation/small sponsorship/straightout con” of just $250 they’d get their name on the team t-shirt, an invitation for two to “our annual workshop party of the year, where you meet all the truck racers (free grog and batteries included).”

Contributors would also get “the opportunity to come and see us at the race meetings and have a tube or two”…and get a ride in the Mitsi on a track day.

Some takers, he confessed, would get “bugger-all.”

Response options on the Egan-designed application form included: “Piss Off Noddy – ya trying to con me….” And in specifying the level of support: “$1 to cover postage and printing” and “Zilch, because times are tough (really means, I’m too mean).”

He also inquired whether anyone might have secondhand “bits and pieces,” that might be helpful to the race team. Again, he offered a get-out tick box option: “Bugger off and leave me alone!”

Signatories were asked to “agree to abide by the rules (none) and use the official password when approaching the team at meetings (‘Gidday’) and not to ask for Waikato beer.”

Slightly more seriously, he explained: “We don’t kid ourselves that we can foot it with The Big Boys – but remember that there’d be no race without a lot of losers. And while everyone would like to back a winner – there is only one of them!”

“The Big Boys attract sponsorship like magnets and the little

Clockwise, from above left: For Bill, truck racing was mostly about fun – and he happily joined in crowd-pleasing chases and “arrests” with friendly CVIU cop Brian Locke (right) and fellow racers Shane Chapman (left) and Calven Bonney.....Bill as the truck racing fraternity will remember him....

Red at the wheel of Les Plenzler’s Scania T143, leading the field. fellas struggle like hell. “So this little fella’s team has got off its backside and made a personal approach to you for not a lot of money.

“And we hope that by getting enough of the small amounts we can change from a No Bucks Budget to a small but formidable racing team.”

A while later he announced: “It worked! We got some candles for the birthday cake,” he added….joking. In fact, he said, his strictly-non-corporate sponsorship attempt – which backed up some limited support he already had from a Mitsi truck dealer, a tyre company and an oil company – resulted in “a few thousand.

Enough to do the turbo.”

By 1996, Red had teamed up with Plenzler in a team that saw the Mitsi taken over by Les and former Egan student, apprentice and crewman Matthew Boyd-Bell….

While Red drove the Scania that 1967 F1 world champ Hulme had driven to equal-first (with Avon Hyde) in the ’90 NZ Championship.

Plenzler is Polish – just like the leader of the Catholic Church at that time – so Red immediately nicknamed him The Pope….and the team became the Irish/Polish Underwater Truck Racing Team.

Plenzler believed in Egan’s abilities as a truck racer and bought the Scania partly because he felt his mate deserved a better truck than the Mitsi, to properly show off his talent.

The plan, says Les, was for Red to be the Scania’s No. 1 driver that season – with Plenzler driving it more regularly thereafter. Or if Bill went really well, “why not keep him on. I knew I would not be driving as fast as Bill can.”

They had modest aims: “We never had ambitions to be No. 1….but we did have ambitions to go a little bit faster…”

Mostly though, “we were all there to have good fun.”

As he said at the time, Les liked the Egan team because “it has character. I reckon that’s how it should be, you know. We may not have the big balls, but we at least laugh a bit.”

When Red’s death was announced on the NZ Super Truck Racing Facebook page, it prompted many tributes – the announcement accompanied by a photo montage of Red’s racing…and, more revealingly, some of his after-race activities: There’s Red in his Y-front Jockeys, Red topless, and Red (almost) bottomless…in a G-string!

In the tributes, NZ Truck & Driver publisher and former truck racing promoter Trevor Woolston says Egan was “one of the true legends of truck racing. Never won too many races – but had a ball anyway.”

Gun Aussie racer Rob Russell says “he was a real character with a heart of gold. You meet a lot of nice people in life and he was one of them.”

Aussie race team member Wayne Newton says Red was “always up to mischief...like the time he conned Tony Perich, of Oran Park fame, into paying to bring his ‘NZ Championship’ truck over to Oz to race in the Trans-Tasman Series.......and turned up with a white blowup plastic sheep strapped to the turntable. Priceless!”

Salter reckons that Bill secured the backing for that Aussie adventure from Perich and a Sydney Mitsi dealer, based on a proposal in which “he Photoshopped a late model cab onto the old Mitsi!”

And he adds: “He raced on a shoestring….had no shame asking for old tyres. He was a great guy to give your hand-me-downs.”

Salter says simply of Bill: “He was one colourful character.”

To former truck racer Gordon Chapman, Red was “the heart and soul of truck racing.”

And Aussie racer John (Bomber) Bomberle remembers him as “a loveable rogue who helped us out many times while racing in NZ.” Truck racing crewman Alan Jones remembers “a great character” of the truck racing fraternity – “his open-face helmet, with a smoke in his mouth before a race….a lover of the rum and humour.”

Unsurprisingly, tributes to Red make it obvious that he brought Truck & Driver | 83

L

Bill proudly reckoned he and the Mitsi scored the world’s first win for a Japanese race truck. a similar style to everything he did. One transport operator told the funeral service that in a world of “testing station people who are just naturally MEAN,” Billy was “bloody beauty.”

Bill’s daughter Danielle, who was six weeks old when she went to her first truck race meeting, says her Dad “was always a straight-shooter and he called a spade a fucking spade!”

He was the chairman of the Towing Association for many years, she says, and his “bush lawyer” knowledge of the towing business was such that “even the cops would ring him and ask him his advice on the law.”

He fought (and won) court cases brought by wealthy car owners who reckoned their cars had been illegally towed.

When Kirk’s Towing featured on the tv show Target as the most expensive towtruck company in Auckland, Red “got great joy in correcting the show’s mistakes – and then cashed in on it” by signwriting the truck featured on the show as the “Car parking reeducation unit…. As seen on Target.”

Danielle says her Dad “was also an accomplished engineer and built most, if not all of the trucks that we had.”

When Kirk’s held the contract to tow illegally parked cars from Auckland’s Viaduct restaurant and bar precinct, Red was renowned for looking after his mates – with Kirk’s business cards in the windscreen (or a phone call to Bill) granting a vehicle immunity from towing.

Ron and Natalie Salter had such an arrangement for leaving a car parked on the wharf when they spent weekends on Waiheke Island. So, says Ron, when Red saw Natalie’s BMW arrive at Kirk’s impound yard, he ordered the towie to take it back immediately: “But it was over time,” argued the driver.

“You don’t know Mrs Salter – take it back,” said Red. On the other hand, Danielle remembers her Dad “regularly having disputes with angry people who’d had their cars impounded. And Dad being in a cast because (as a result) he got 84 | Truck & Driver

run over by a Volvo. I remember laughing at him ‘cos he could have chosen to get run over by something better than a Volvo!

“If he thought someone was going to come and try to get their cars out of the yard, he’d suspend them at night, just in case – lift up one end on a towtruck boom and the other attached to the crane truck….suspended about eight foot in the air!”

There are other stories – of impounded car owners arriving at the Kirk’s yard angry…only for the Egan sense of humour see them ending up drinking with him!

Danielle saw two sides of her Dad when she joined him in a Kirk’s truck running on a permit – getting stopped by a CVIU officer “Dad was warring with at the time.”

The permit was “debated,” as she puts it: “Of course, my Dad never backed down and me being aged about sevenish, I remember watching on, just wanting to get on with it and hopefully get my MacDonalds or Georgie Pie.” Then a ute crashed right by them after the driver had an epileptic fit – and Red jumped into action, donned a Police hi-vis vest and helped direct traffic.

“Dad was always one to help when needed: Warring with the CVIU officer one minute and then working side by side the next – when it came to the crunch.”

Ex-cop and good mate Brian Locke – who operated a radar at truck race meetings to enforce a 160km/h maximum speed – reckons that when Bill was racing the Mitsi, he was “the only truck racer who asked me to ping him for speeding – I guess to prove that he could go that fast!

Lockie’s sendoff: “Go with a cloud of black smoke mate – and a roaring Mitsi V8…and rest in peace mate.”

Les Plenzler says Bill lives on in the memory of lots of truck racing fans and racers “because he was funny.”

And he adds, if you asked Bill “why he did these things, he’d say: ‘Because people love a clown!’ ” T&D

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WITH ITS NAME INSPIRED BY THE TV FISHING SERIES SET in the turbulent Bering Sea, Northchill’s ‘Northwestern’ is an iconic Kenworth K104 2.9m Fatcab that’s said to be the last to roll off the production line.

However, its ‘Deadliest Catch’ reference could have taken on a whole new meaning when its owner Graham Redington introduced its ‘unexpected arrival’ to his wife.

The big K104 itself was first registered in NZ in 2005, by Steve Gutshlag from Palmerston North, but Redington got involved with it several years later, when in 2010 Southpac’s truck salesmen Steve Herring gave him a call.

“I had just bought an ex-Hall’s T404 Kenworth,” begins Redington, “But Herring said, `this truck’s coming on the market, it was the last one ever built, and did I want it?’

“I said yes. And this is where the story gets curly, because I never told my wife.”

Redington says that he had basically bought two trucks in one day, one was planned but evidently the K104 was not. He recalls that he got off the phone and thought how the f##k am I going to tell Michelle? And in fact, he didn’t for a while.

“Anyway, we had some friends come over from Aussie to stay and after a couple of wines over dinner I thought I’d just drop it into the conversation - that was the worst thing I ever did, and I’ll

never do that again. To this day, [12 years later] this is still a raw subject.”

Despite the flack, Redington had little regret over his purchase, he says “You learn with your f##k ups, but it was too significant not to take it,” adding, “when people found out I got it I was offered $30k more than I paid for it.”

What makes this truck so desirable is both its size and scarcity.

Nowadays the ‘big cab’ Kenworth’s are 2.8m and this one is 2.9m, so it’s a bigger truck cab with windows in the sleeper. What’s more, Redington believes that there are only nine in the country, making it very rare indeed.

Once the ‘introduction’ dust had settled, they sat on it for about four months, ‘as we didn’t know what we were going to do with it’, then they painted it white and green and got it to tow their chemical tankers.

According to Redington, despite the engine ‘sh##ing itself’ at the pink pig (SH27) one morning a couple of years after getting it, (meaning they had to drop in a brand new 14L Cummins signature 620) the Kenworth has worked well for over a decade, but earlier this year he decided it needed a full rebuild - and for that he turned to his workshop supervisor Mark Dodds.

“We did the full resto here in our workshop, we’ve got four mechanics here with Mark in charge of the whole rebuild. Mark is Truck & Driver | 87

Above: The colour on the K104 is called Toyota grey and painted by Fleet Image while Cliff Mannington at Truck Signs in Tauranga did the detailing.

Below Left: Michelle and Graham Redington with their “grey” trucks used for tanker work and their Ontour Logistics division.

Below Right: New stacks were part of an extensive restoration.

just a guru; he just gets me and knows how I like sh##. He dealt with the painters and just knew what I wanted.”

They stripped the Kenworth right back to bare metal, ‘chassis and everything’, wrapped all the fuel tanks, put in a remaned18speed Roadranger gearbox, added new diffs, and changed the ratios.

“We brought them back; they were too low. So, at 90kph it was doing 1,700rpm but it would do that going up a hill too.”

It’s got new mirrors, all new roof lights, new stacks, new bumper, new grille parts, the whole thing was made over, basically everything that needed to be replaced was, all bar the engine.

“It’s done 1.8million kays on the two engines, so we’ll either replace the engine or rebuild it. We haven’t done that yet because you can’t buy one right now. But if I can get a new one it will be done in March/April next year, if not then we’ll rebuild it here.”

Fleet Image in Hamilton were chosen to paint it, as “they are the

88 | Truck & Driver

best painters you can get,” says Redington.

“Dean (Big Gear), who runs the shop, has this eye for detail. He knows what we like and is super fussy. It was a big job, windows out and sanded back to bare metal, so there’s no original blue left on it at all.”

Redington explains how the choice of grey paintwork came about.

“I bought a K200 off a mate of mine in Aus for my 50th, and it came in Toyota grey. We decided to keep it that colour and paint our tanker business grey - it flowed on from there. We have our white and green for chill, yellow trucks for Foodstuffs and the grey is for tankers and concerts (Ontour Logistics division).”

He says that Cliff Mannington at Truck Signs in Tauranga did the detailing (including the ‘life’s too short to drive ugly trucks’ statement on the back of the cab) as they do all Northchill’s signwriting.

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Above: Truck Signs provided the signage across the back of the cab.

Right: Toby McLean is the man at the helm of the Northwestern recently.

Below: Apart from a new seat the K104 interior was in excellent condition and hasn’t needed restoration.

“I just leave it to Cliff because he’s the best of the best, hands down.”

Aside from the engine, about the only thing that hasn’t been touched for the rebuild is the cabin interior and that’s because it didn’t need it.

“It’s had a new seat, but the inside is mint, there’s only really been three people in that truck, and they’ve all been really good to it.”

Overall, the rebuild took about three to four months to do and Redington says it was totally worth it.

“A few guys say that the grey is the elite fleet, but I’ve probably spent more on that truck because of its significance. And those colours will always make that truck stand out. Everyone knows the truck, it’s pretty significant. I’ve got guys in Aussie that want to buy the truck. But I’d never sell it now. It’s just a neat old truck.”

It may have had an extensive total rebuild but rest assured this iconic Kenworth is not going to be mothballed or put on a pedestal anytime soon.

“I own it, so it doesn’t have to run every day, but right now it’s doing a night run until a new guy starts, then we’re flat out with summer concerts through to April, so it’ll tow the concert trailers.”

Truck & Driver | 91

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Above: The 2005 K104 is the very last 2.9m “Fat Cab” example to be built.

Toby McLean is the man that’s been at the helm of the Northwestern of late and Redington reckons that he loves it.

“He’s a fantastic operator, he’s 25 with a 50-year-old head - he’s an old soul. He drives it and it’s normally gleaming. I could offer Toby a brand-new truck tomorrow and he wouldn’t take it, he’d stay on that.”

There’s no denying that the K104 Fatcab is a handsome truck, but the big question still remains, has his wife Michelle forgiven him yet? And the short answer (albeit with a wry smile) is No!

“It never rests, [that dinner conversation] always comes up. But I’m happy he’s happy.” she says.

Then there’s the cost of the Northwestern’s rebuild. Michelle was apparently told it was going to cost $25k, but just quietly, Redington says the final build is well north of that.

“We didn’t intend spending what we did on it, but you get into things and pass the point of no return,” he says in his defence.

We guess that’s a conversation for another day, maybe over dinner with wine and a few friends… T&D

Truck & Driver | 93

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It’s political...

WHAT THE POLITICIANS THINK ABOUT TRUCKING THE NEW ZEALAND TRUCKING INDUSTRY FACES many challenges – many of them influenced by Government policy.

Apart from the many problems currently created by the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s the ongoing driver shortage, the worsening state of the nation’s roading network and looming emissions reduction legislation…

So, who among our political parties offers any

salvation for the industry in these situations?

To have some insight into what politicians are thinking about issues impacting the road transport industry, NZ Truck & Driver has offered each of the major political parties the opportunity to voice their views on trucking matters each month.

The ACT and National parties have contributed their views on the industry this month. T&D

The Road Ahead for Transport

By Simeon Brown, National Party Spokesman for Transport and Public Service.

Simeon Brown IT WAS ENCOURAGING TO SEE SO MANY FAMILIAR FACES AT Invercargill for the Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand conference in September, as well as meeting many new ones. I thoroughly enjoyed the conference, and getting a sense of what matters most to people at the moment.

Getting out of Wellington and into the regions is essential for staying grounded in our communities where real people are doing real life. The feedback I heard loud and clear from you is that your businesses and families are doing it tough right now as the cost of living crisis drives up the cost of doing business. Your businesses need more staff, more drivers, and better roads for those drivers to drive on.

There’s a lot of frustration out there that the Labour Government doesn’t seem to be listening to the industry. If they were, they would actually be creating a better environment for businesses. But instead of easing immigration settings to allow more workers into the country, they’re more concerned with an immigration “reset” and raising the threshold needed to build new roads.

The NZ Transport Agency seems more interested in building bureaucracy rather than roads. Since 2017, NZTA has added 1,000 extra staff to its ranks, including a doubling of its managers. And yet it can’t manage to get more projects completed. Of the 19 roading projects for the New Zealand Upgrade Programme, four

have been rescoped or cancelled, two are running on schedule, and 13 are delayed. Maybe that’s why they needed to triple their comms staff to 97 since 2017: they need more press releases to downplay the dismal delivery.

The declining delivery is partly due to the diverting of National Land Transport Funds to other purposes. Our petrol taxes and road users chargers are meant to be reinvested into the maintenance and building of roads so that users pay. Under Labour the fund is being diluted and used for a variety of other purposes meaning Kiwis aren’t seeing the benefit from their road user charges and petrol taxes.

Kiwis deserve better transport infrastructure, and better maintenance of what we have already got. While Government representatives talked a lot at the conference about how much more money is being spent, the Government continues to confuse spending with delivery. The state of our roads speaks volumes that despite the Government’s spin, the reality is quite different on the ground.

Our businesses need safe, reliable, and efficient connections, as well as a Government who works with them on emissions rather than telling them how it’s going to be. National looks forward to continuing to work with you, listening to you, and taking policies to the next election which will practically help you take New Zealand forwards, not backwards. T&D Truck & Driver | 95

It’s political...

GOVERNMENT DELIVERS MORE CLIPBOARDS

Simon Court

By Simon Court, ACT Party spokesperson on transport

IN MAY 2021 NEW ZEALAND POLICE’S COMMERCIAL VEHICLE Safety Teams announced it would roll out new mobile brake testers, from June 2021 nationwide. The reason for this was because of apparent risks with the safety of our trucking fleet.

The Director of Road Policing stated at the time; “By investing in new technology that helps identify possible brake failures we can prevent potential harm being caused.” Preventing harm certainly sounds like a good idea.

However, as is often the case with central government, the implementation can be a different matter.

A 2013 briefing I obtained noted that Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit (CVIU) officers were certified Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) inspectors as well as qualified Dangerous Goods Inspectors. That is a lot of clipboards to carry.

I asked Police Minister Chris Hipkins how they were going with the rollout of mobile brake testers and roadside testing campaign in a series of Written Parliamentary Questions.

‘How many roadside tests, if any, have been carried out by NZ Police commercial vehicle safety teams using mobile roller brake testers by region and month since they were purchased, and how many of these tests showed that brakes failed to meet the required performance standard?’

As it turns out, no roadside tests have been undertaken since the Mobile Roller Brake Testing Machines (RBTMs) were purchased. The reason; “The rollout of the mobile RBTMs requires additional safety assessments to be completed before they are deployed across New Zealand.”

It seems ludicrous that Police would have ordered the machines without bothering to find out if they could be used at the roadside.

One of the various inspectors must have missed something when the order was placed.

I also asked the question - how many mobile roller brake testers have been purchased for use by NZ Police commercial vehicle safety teams, what is the cost, and in what regions are these located?

Police ordered six mobile Roller Brake Testing Machines (RBTMs), of which five have been delivered. The sixth unit has been delayed due to supply chain issues and should be delivered by the end of September 2022.

I had less success finding the cost though, which would not 96 | Truck & Driver

be released because; “The cost of the mobile RBTMs is deemed commercially sensitive and is not releasable. All five machines are currently located at the Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre location at Stanley Street, Auckland.”

It appears they are in storage. And the cost is likely too embarrassing to disclose. The safety risk here appears to be with taxpayers’ money.

Trucks are required to undergo a Certificate of Fitness (CoF) inspection every 3-12 months, with the majority requiring an inspection every six months. As part of a CoF inspection, the brake condition and performance is inspected.

The COF inspection regime appears to be working to progressively reduce the number of truck crashes where brakes failed, from 47 in 2017, to 19 in 2021. Which begs the question, why were RBTMs even necessary?

The road freight industry is under massive pressure from driver shortages, poor road conditions, and juggling customer demands to maintain prices. Drivers are expected to walk around and check their vehicle before every journey, because they are responsible for the truck and the freight.

This exercise in bureaucracy speaks to the wastage we regularly see from central government. How is it that we’re meant to be happy with potholes all through our roads when unknown amounts are being spent on seemingly superfluous expenses.

Many unnecessary tasks like this occur within the public service simply because there are people employed to do them, whether they’re in the public interest is often questionable. Why do we put up with the idea that Government can get bigger, but it can never get smaller? How many zombie departments and zombie bureaucrats does this country have? People who just carry on collecting a paycheque for their own purposes instead of any public purpose.

ACT says we need to zero base government. By that I mean going back to zero and ask ourselves, if the departments and bureaucracies we have now didn’t exist, would we establish them today? I would be amazed if we couldn’t get the size of Government back to where it was in 2017 by eliminating activities that don’t fit with these simple questions. In fact, I suspect whole departments would go. T&D

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National Road Carriers

PROTECTING YOUR BUSINESS AGAINST THE INVISIBLE THIEF

By Justin Tighe-Umbers, CEO, National Road Carriers Association

I

Justin Tighe-Umbers

NFLATION. ONE WORD THAT CAN REACH INTO THE POCKETS OF every New Zealander and rob us of our hard-earned cash. Inflation quietly sneaks up on us with increasing prices and cost of living pressures, making it harder for consumers to make ends meet and business owners to manage costs and maintain prices.

With inflation running at 7.3%, a 32-year high, for the June 2022 quarter (Statistics NZ) it’s reasonable to ask: what’s driving the numbers? Recent high prices for petrol and diesel, the transport sector was a significant contributor to our rising annual inflation – petrol increased by 32%, the largest annual increase since 1985.

And it looks like we may be in a waiting game. According to Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen, until the United States get a grip on inflation “our imported inflation into New Zealand remains high, and it makes it much more difficult here at home to get inflation under control.”

Where does this leave the transport industry?

There has been some good news of late. Supply chain issues have been easing with the Freightos Global Container Index (FBX) decreasing from a high in September 2021 of nearly $11,000 to $4,262 in September 2022.

Statistics NZ reported economic activity rose 1.7% in the June quarter as measured by gross domestic profit (GDP). The transport sector significantly contributed to this rise with a 19.7% increase in the June quarter (9.6% annual), suggesting strong economic activity across the sector.

But there is no denying that there will be a bumpy road ahead for transport operators in 2023. Plenty are getting ahead of the

game – here at NRC we’ve already seen a sharp increase in demand for our cost management services, from members and non-members alike. We see everyone from operators running hundreds of trucks right through to fresh-eyed newbies wanting to make sure they can pay off their new rig.

We recognise many business owners are back on the tools, driving due to talent shortages and a need to muck in just to keep the wheels turning. Where to start, is a common question so NRC suggests taking stock of a couple of key aspects initially. Firstly, with fuel costs making big moves, make sure you have your fuel adjustment factor (FAF) sorted. Not sure you’ve got it right? Then reach out to the NRC team who are more than happy to provide advice and assist.

Secondly, rising costs are having an impact across the board, so its critical transport operators understand the core costs affecting their business, both now and into the future. NRC’s Cost Model takes a look under the bonnet at your delivery costs. It helps predict costs up to 12 months ahead – and works for any size transport business, from single vehicles to large complex fleets.

Owners can look at different cost scenarios and make informed choices that keep delivery contracts profitable. It’s a simple process, it takes just 10 minutes to crunch the numbers once you have the data needed. In most cases, you’ll get your personal cost report within two business days. So, take the first step to keeping the invisible thief at bay, and call the NRC team.

For more information go to https://www.natroad.co.nz/ or call one of the team on 0800 686 777. T&D Truck & Driver | 99

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A new Scania R 730 B8x4NA has joined the fleet of R & L Beale Log Transport in Hawke’s Bay. “Shanksy” is driving the R 730 which boasts a DC16 16-Litre 730hp Euro 6 engine, Scania Opticruise GRSO926R 12-speed AMT with 4100D retarder and RB735 hub reduction rear end. Spring front suspension and rear air suspension are fitted along with ABS/EBS disc brakes. Scales, CTI, V8 leather trim, fridge, offset steerers, LED light bar, Dura-bright alloys and Broshmik stone guard and visor are fitted. The R 730 has a new Mills Tui shorts set up and refurbished 4-axle multi trailer. Paint by Haddock Spray Painters and sign writing by Caulfield Signs.

Race at the top?

NEW ZEALAND’S NEW TRUCK MARKET CONTINUED TO perform strongly in September – staying ahead of last year’s sales volumes.

September saw 649 registrations of heavy trucks above 4.5 tonnes GVM, compared to 475 in September 2021. That lifted the year-to-date total sales at the three-quarter mark of the year to 4410, compared to 3559 in the same period last year.

The trailer market posted 128 registrations for the month, well behind last year’s 146 registrations and very close to matching the 129 registrations in both September 2018 and 2019. The YTD trailer total of 1054 after the first nine months lags a long way behind the 1312 registrations at the same point in 2018, however is not too far behind last year at 1076.

In the overall heavy truck market (above 4.5t GVM), FUSO (YTD 922/September 123) retained the top spot for the year although Isuzu (837/159) performed strong to lead the September market with 159 registrations and 24.5% market share.

With the YTD gap between FUSO and Isuzu closing, the race at the top during the last quarter of the year is set to be interesting.

Hino (695/83) has comfortably retained third place while Scania (381/73) ranks fourth. Iveco (222/28) and UD (212/27) kept their positions for the month while Foton (200/35) edges ahead of MercedesBenz (196/29) into seventh. Kenworth (179/20) and Volvo (132/13) hold their spots to round out the top 10 marques.

In the 3.5-4.5t GVM crossover segment, Fiat increased its YTD total to 296 by achieving 32 registrations for the month. Mercedes-Benz (70/8) is next, ahead of Chevrolet (55/9) and Volkswagen (54/4) while Ford (33/2) and RAM (33/13) tied for fifth.

In the 4.5-7.5t GVM division, the top brands held their places, with FUSO (431/60), edging further ahead of Isuzu (274/49), Hino (150/24)

and Iveco (129/15).

Isuzu (329/64) continues to extend its commanding lead of the 7.5-15t GVM segment, while Hino (208/12) retains second ahead of FUSO (185/21).

In the 15-20.5t GVM division, Hino (93/13) continues to lead YTD ahead of FUSO (50/7). UD (43/4), Scania (24/5) and Isuzu (21/2) complete the top five.

In the tiny 20.5-23t segment, Hino (13/1) holds first spot, with FUSO (8/3) in second and Sinotruk (2/0), Isuzu (2/0) & Volvo (2/1) all third with two registrations apiece this year.

In the premium 23t to maximum GVM category, Scania pulled off another big month, with 68 registrations, ranking it number one for September and lifting its YTD total to 357.

Fuso (248/32) and Hino (231/33) retained second and third, while Isuzu (211/44) were second for September while gaining 15.4% share.

The rest of the premium category remained unchanged month on month with Kenworth (179/20) in fifth ahead of UD (160/21), Volvo (126/11), DAF (111/13), Mercedes-Benz (61/5) and MAN (60/13) – rounding out the top 10.

While trailer market leader Patchell (106/10) remains in the top spot for the YTD, Fruehauf (99/17) were September’s market leader with a 13.3% share. Now separated by only seven units there is also an interesting race for trailer market number one status in the final three months of the year.

Roadmaster (85/10) remain in third ahead of Domett (82/11) and M.T.E (69/4). Transport Trailers (60/5) have been joined by TMC (60/8) in sixth equal position. Transfleet (36/3) and Freighter (30/4) and Fairfax (29/3) complete the top-10. T&D

Truck & Driver | 101

Briyan from Mani Industries has put the first Shacman X3000 into the Firth fleet equipped with TWS bowl. The new X3000 6x4 operates out of the Manukau depot and is powered by a 440hp Cummins Euro5 engine with a 10-speed Eaton AMT transmission.

23,001kg-max GVM 2022

4501kg-max GVM 2022 Brand FUSO ISUZU HINO SCANIA IVECO UD FOTON MERCEDES-BENZ KENWORTH VOLVO DAF MAN HYUNDAI VOLKSWAGEN SINOTRUK MACK INTERNATIONAL SHACMAN FREIGHTLINER FIAT WESTERN STAR RAM PEUGEOT JAC DENNIS EAGLE Total

Vol 922 837 695 381 222 212 200 196 179 132 115 74 54 44 41 20 18 18 17 13 9 5 2 2 2 4410

% 20.9 19.0 15.8 8.6 5.0 4.8 4.5 4.4 4.1 3.0 2.6 1.7 1.2 1.0 0.9 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 100

Sept 22 Vol % 123 19.0 159 24.5 83 12.8 73 11.2 28 4.3 27 4.2 35 5.4 29 4.5 20 3.1 13 2.0 15 2.3 15 2.3 2 0.3 2 0.3 6 0.9 2 0.3 3 0.5 3 0.5 2 0.3 2 0.3 3 0.5 0 0.0 1 0.2 1 0.2 2 0.3 649 100

3501-4500kg GVM 2022 Brand FIAT MERCEDES-BENZ CHEVROLET VOLKSWAGEN FORD RAM RENAULT IVECO LDV PEUGEOT TOYOTA Total

Vol 296 70 55 54 33 33 22 12 10 9 1 595

% 49.7 11.8 9.2 9.1 5.5 5.5 3.7 2.0 1.7 1.5 0.2 100

Sept 22 Vol % 32 42.1 8 10.5 9 11.8 4 5.3 2 2.6 12 15.8 3 3.9 4 5.3 1 1.3 1 1.3 0 0.0 76 100

4501-7500kg GVM 2022 Brand FUSO ISUZU HINO IVECO FOTON MERCEDES-BENZ VOLKSWAGEN HYUNDAI FIAT RAM PEUGEOT JAC Total 102 | Truck & Driver

Vol 431 274 150 129 121 123 44 42 13 5 2 2 1336

% 32.3 20.5 11.2 9.7 9.1 9.2 3.3 3.1 1.0 0.4 0.1 0.1 100.0

Sept 22 Vol % 60 31.4 49 25.7 24 12.6 15 7.9 15 7.9 21 11.0 2 1.0 1 0.5 2 1.0 0 0.0 1 0.5 1 0.5 191 100

Scania had another big month, with 68 registrations in the 23t-plus category

Brand SCANIA FUSO HINO ISUZU KENWORTH UD VOLVO DAF MERCEDES-BENZ MAN IVECO SINOTRUK MACK INTERNATIONAL FREIGHTLINER SHACMAN WESTERN STAR DENNIS EAGLE Total

Vol 357 248 231 211 179 160 126 111 61 60 42 38 20 18 17 14 9 2 1904

% 18.8 13.0 12.1 11.1 9.4 8.4 6.6 5.8 3.2 3.2 2.2 2.0 1.1 0.9 0.9 0.7 0.5 0.1 100

Sept 22 Vol % 68 23.7 32 11.1 33 11.5 44 15.3 20 7.0 21 7.3 11 3.8 13 4.5 5 1.7 13 4.5 7 2.4 6 2.1 2 0.7 3 1.0 2 0.7 2 0.7 3 1.0 2 0.7 287 100

Trailers 2022

7501-15,000kg GVM 2022 Brand ISUZU HINO FUSO FOTON IVECO UD HYUNDAI VOLVO MERCEDES-BENZ MAN Total

Vol 329 208 185 79 31 9 12 4 3 3 863

% 38.1 24.1 21.4 9.2 3.6 11.0 1.4 0.5 0.3 0.3 100

Sept 22 Vol % 64 51.2 12 9.6 21 16.8 20 16.0 3 2.4 2 1.6 1 0.8 1 0.8 0 0.0 1 0.8 125 100

15,001-20,500kg GVM 2022 Brand HINO FUSO UD ISUZU SCANIA IVECO MAN MERCEDES-BENZ SHACMAN DAF SINOTRUK Total

Vol 93 50 43 21 24 19 11 9 2 4 1 277

% 33.6 18.1 15.5 7.6 8.7 6.9 4.0 3.2 0.7 1.4 0.4 100

Sept 22 Vol % 13 32.5 7 17.5 4 10.0 2 5.0 5 12.5 3 7.5 1 2.5 3 7.5 0 0.0 2 5.0 0 0.0 40 100

20,501-23,000kg GVM 2022 Brand HINO FUSO SINOTRUK ISUZU IVECO VOLVO Total

Vol 13 8 2 2 1 2 28

% 46.4 28.6 7.1 7.1 3.6 7.1 100

Sept 22 Vol % 1 20.0 3 60.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 20.0 5 100

Brand Vol 106 PATCHELL FRUEHAUF 99 ROADMASTER 85 DOMETT 82 M.T.E. 69 TRANSPORT TRAILERS 60 TMC 60 TRANSFLEET 36 FREIGHTER 30 FAIRFAX 29 JACKSON 23 TES 22 CWS 22 HAMMAR 20 MTC EQUIPMENT 16 TANKER ENGINEERING 16 MAXICUBE 16 KRAFT 14 LUSK 13 EVANS 11 MILLS-TUI 11 TIDD 10 MD ENGINEERING 9 MAKARANUI 9 SEC 8 LOWES 8 PTE 8 WHITE 5 LILLEY 5 KOROMIKO 5 TEO 5 STEELBRO 5 5 ADAMS & CURRIE 5 MJ CUSTOMS WARREN 5 SDC 4 4 COX ENGINEERING MODERN TRANSPORT 3 COWAN 3 OTHER 108 1054 Total

% 10.1 9.4 8.1 7.8 6.5 5.7 5.7 3.4 2.8 2.8 2.2 2.1 2.1 1.9 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.3 1.2 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 10.2 100

Sept 22 Vol % 10 7.8 17 13.3 10 7.8 11 8.6 4 3.1 5 3.9 8 6.3 3 2.3 4 3.1 3 2.3 4 3.1 1 0.8 2 1.6 5 3.9 2 1.6 2 1.6 2 1.6 3 2.3 2 1.6 1 0.8 1 0.8 1 0.8 0 0.0 1 0.8 0 0.0 1 0.8 3 2.3 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 0.8 1 0.8 0 0.0 1 0.8 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 19 14.8 128 100

The second new Scania in the Satherley Logging (2006) fleet is an R 620 B8x4NZ carting logs in Central Hawke’s Bay. Perry is driving the DC16 V8 powered R Series with 620hp output running through a Scania Opticruise GRS0905R 12-speed AMT with 4100D retarder and Scania RB735 Hub reduction rear end.

The R 620 rides on spring suspension front and rear with EBS and ABS braking system. Other features include Bigfoot CTI, Pacific Scales and Alcoa Durabright alloys. Caulfield Signs provided the signage, and the Scania has a new Kraft shorts unit and 5-axle multi trailer.

A new Iveco X-Way for container work is part of the 2022 replacement programme at CODA Group. The 6x4 Day Cab in Tapper Transport livery is powered by the Euro 6 Cursor 11 engine developing 460hp output and 2150Nm of torque with Super Engine Brake and Hi-eSCR DPF system. A 12-speed ZF Hi-Tronic automated transmission, AEBS, Adaptive Cruise Control and Hill Hold safety functions are other features included the X-Way has the driver assessment system.

Royans applied the paint and signwriting and Transmech completed the truck set-up.

Truck & Driver | 103

Another new Scania at work in the Hawke’s Bay log industry is the R 730 B8x4NA of Tony Pye Cartage Contractors.

The Euro 6 730hp DC16 engine is paired with Scania Opticruise GRSO926R 12-speed AMT with 4100D retarder and RB735 hub reduction rear end.

The R 730 has spring front suspension and rear air suspension with ABS/ EBS disc brakes. Extras include air operated winches, scales, CTI, V8 leather trim by RVE, fridge, Dura-bright alloys and Broshmik stone guard and visor. The exterior is factory Scania cab paint and sign writing by Caulfield Signs Rotorua. A new Evans Engineering shorts set-up and refurbished 5-axle multi-trailer complete the combination.

After clocking up one million kilometres in just under seven years, Mt Maunganui-based J Swap Contractors driver “Belly” has a new Kenworth K200.

The new truck is nearidentical to the million kilometre unit in 8x4 configuration powered by a Cummins X15 600.615hp paired with Eaton RTLO 20918B Roadranger transmission and Meritor 46-160 rear axles XLFR with 4.1:1 ratio. The K200 has Kenworth load share front suspension and Airglide 460 rear suspension. Features include twin 356mm Cyclopac frame mounted air cleaners, stainless fuel tank trims, head lights mesh, lower grill panel and grill bars with a blue interior and black leather seats. Transfleet built the truck body and 5-axle trailer.

104 | Truck & Driver

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Working in the Waikato region from the Te Awamutu depot of McFall Fuel is a new Volvo FM 8x4 fuel tanker. The FM 540 is equipped with the full Volvo Safety Package, factory fitted PTO and hydraulic pump and DG equipped cab chassis. The barrel and fit out was completed by Tanker Solutions.

The FM develops 540hp with 2600Nm of torque matched to the dual clutch Volvo I-Shift SPO2812 transmission and Volvo RTS2370B rear end.

A 570hp Iveco X-Way 6x4 High Roof Sleeper is the latest addition to the Aulakh Transport fleet and went on the road in record time thanks to the efforts of Iveco Service and Parts and the Royans team. Power comes from the Cursor 13 engine in Euro 6 specification producing 570hp and 2500Nm of torque. Features include Super Engine Brake, Hi-eSCR DPF system, 12-speed ZF Hi-Tronic AMT along with AEBS, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning System and Hill Hold. A driver assessment system and telematics are included and the truck is supported by a 7-year service programme. Features include full leather air suspended ISRI seats with heating and ventilation, fridge, cool box and bi-Xenon head lights.

106 | Truck & Driver

Adam Jackson of Peek St Investments has a new Scania P 410 B6x2NB at work for Metro Mainfreight around the Hawke’s Bay region. The Euro 5 DC13 13-litre engine with 410hp drives through an Opticruise GRS905R 12-speed AMT with 3500 retarder and Scania R780 single reduction rear axle. Air suspension front and rear, super single steerers, EBS, scales, Dura-bright wheels, LED marker lights and custom stainless trim are fitted, and the cab is equipped with a fridge. The P 410 has a new Elite Motor body truck set up with tail lift and a refurb 2-axle trailer. Signwriting by Mammoth Print & Signs in Napier.

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JTROE71547

160.00

Zepro Warning Flags

675.00

$

$

EA SAVE OVER 20%

EA SAVE OVER 25%

ZP31137TL

45.00

$

EA SAVE OVER 25%

BUY ANY OF THESE SAMPA PARTS AND GET 25% OFF THE LISTED PRICE! At TRT we carry a lot of quality Sampa® after market parts for trucks and trailers.

We have an extensive range covering suspension, brakes, steering, axle, and couplings.

Call us and we'll find what your looking for.

Bush Equaliser 1 1/8" Single Bolt

Disc Pad Set ELSA 195

Kit SAF 3D Bush, Washers + Bolt

SA500861

SA09377401

SA075583

56.10

$

EA

135.20

$

GET TRADE DEALS with a TRT TRADE ACCOUNT!

EA

204.75

$

EA

Apply Online @ trt.co.nz or scan the QR code for easy application

CALL US TODAY to talk with our parts team!

Prices shown exclude GST and freight and are valid from 1st June to 31st July 2022. *Terms and conditions apply.

Ham: 07 849 4839

Akl: 09 262 0683

Chch: 03 741 2261

www.trt.co.nz

THURSDAY 30th- SATURDAY 1st APRIL 2023,

TD32863

PAIHIA, BAY OF ISLANDS

REGISTER ONLINE NOW: www.nztruckanddriver.co.nz/truckers-loggers TOURNAMENTSPONSORS:

CLASSIFIED TRUCK & DRIVER

RON SMITH LTD & DIRECT TRANSPORT

After Ron Smith shifted to Rotorua, the Opotiki operation was run by Des Lysaght and Gavin Abbot.

Des retired in 1968 and I carried on as manager till I retired in 1985. This story mainly deals with Opotiki Depot and trucks until it closed when Dawes took over Direct.

LIMITED EDITION TD31544

This is the story of a gentlemen who purchased a small carrier’s business in Opotiki in 1940. With his leadership he built this up to be one of the major transport companies in New Zealand. His foresight and sincerity in dealing with people encouraged others to join him. Once Opotiki was established he shifted to Rotorua. With his very able accountant he formed Direct Transport (Holdings) Ltd. This was achieved by joining with Lightning Nelson Interests in 1966. He retired and continued his social work with church and service clubs. Ron Smith died in 1992.

For your copy contact: Postage: Gavin Abbot, 34 Elliott Street, Opotiki 3122 Or email: clamyhen@xtra.co.nz Truck & Driver | 111

CLASSIFIED TRUCK & DRIVER

NEED SPRINGS?

WE HAVE SPRINGS

Parabolic springs & leaves, multi leaf springs & leaves, coil springs, shackle pins, bushes and U/bolts

0+ ye6ar s in business

Rotorua:

35-37 Sunset Rd, Ph: (07) 348 0169

Auckland:

39 Tironui Rd, Takanini, Ph: (09) 298 4162

WHEN YOU NEED A REPLACEMENT HOIST it pays to ring Hoist Hydraulics

EG28872

116 Colombo St, Frankton, Ph: (07) 847 9343

sales@autosprings.co.nz www.autosprings.co.nz

0800 856 700 (09) 8186 287

EG30643

Hamilton:

sales@hoisthydraulics.net

HAWKES BAY FARMERS TRANSPORT LTD

This is the story of one of a young man (Roy Sherwood) who started one of those companies and with his progressive ideas moved to being one of the leading operators of his time.

LIMITED EDITION

For just $55-00 plus $10 postage For your copy contact: Postage: Gavin Abbot, 34 Elliott Street, Opotiki 3122 Or email: clamyhen@xtra.co.nz 112 | Truck & Driver

TD32268

The first 50 years of the story is written by Mr C.J.Wilkie in 1980.

He was also a pioneer carrier who later became a director of Hawkes Bay Farmers Transport.

$1,100

+ GST

Meritor Rear Brake Drums (89996B) x 2 Meritor Rear Brake Linings Kits (4707) x 2 Rear Hub Seal x 2 Meritor Rear Hub Gaskets x 2 VALID FROM 01/11/2022 – 31/01/2023 OR WHILE STOCKS LAST

MERITOR REAR BRAKE KITS

Ave

Ree Crescent

Barry

14 Ree Crescent St Rogers

AUTHORISED SERVICE DEALER NOW IN CROMWELL

McNulty Rd

Contact Transport Repairs for more details and to order your kits: www.transportrepairs.co.nz

TRUCK AND TRAILER PARTS FOR ALL MAKES AND MODELS

560 HP

Bobby Khan P: 09 264 1666 M: (64) 027 2661233

Shacman New Zealand Limited Distributor for SHACMAN Truck 264 Roscommon Road, Wiri, Auckland 2104

TD32613

www.shacmantruck.co.nz